International Folk Festival

Every fall, in the late days of September, when the leaves are changing, a sea of technicolor explodes from every block of downtown Fayetteville. That is when you know Fayetteville’s International Folk Festival has returned.

This year, attendees can expect some of the usual anticipated elements of the International Folk Festival. Food trucks will line the promenade leading to Festival Park, the Parade of Nations will march down Hay Street, and vendors will spring to life with crafts and merchandise.

As the festival kicks off its 46th year of celebration on Sept. 28 with a few new additions — including a Youth Creation Station, a pre-parade breakfast, and an art exhibit highlighting pieces from both national and international Latinx artists displayed in the Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County — festival contributors and showrunners have pulled out all the stops to make this a celebration like no other.

Where it all began

Since its debut in 1978, the International Folk Festival, the longest-running multi-cultural festival in the region, has become a community staple. With hundreds of food and art vendors, live music, and the popular Parade of Nations, people come from across the state to soak up the festivities.

The origins of an event now cemented as a staple in Fayetteville lie with two women with a dream. John Malzone, one of the original creators of the Folk Festival, said he remembers the day Martha Duell and Mildred Evans approached him with an idea.

Martha, co-founder of the Cape Fear Botanical Garden and the creator of Lafayette Society, and Mildred, a former Fayetteville City Council member, wanted to create an event that every member of the community could enjoy.

“They explained to me that they were going to create a festival for the community to celebrate the unique fabric of Fayetteville and Cumberland County,” John said.

John was no stranger to organizing festivals. In 1971, after returning from his tour as a draftee in the Vietnam War, John attended his first Fayetteville Christmas Parade. He recalls being shocked by the quality of it; John quickly took his concerns to the Fayetteville City Council in January 1972 and Beth Finch, then-mayor of Fayetteville, who surprised him with her response.

“She said, ‘You think you can do better? You’re in charge,’” John said, smiling at the memory.

John went on to manage the Fayetteville Christmas Parade for 10 years, building on its success each year.

With this experience in John’s back pocket, the vision of Martha and Mildred, and a collective hope to better the community they fell in love with years before, the International Folk Festival was born.

Gathering his contacts from the Christmas parade, John produced a festival like nothing Fayetteville had ever seen before. That first year in 1978, 10,000 people turned out to the International Folk Festival. The following year, the number doubled.

“In those days, nobody felt very good about being from Fayetteville,” John explained.

The culture of downtown Fayetteville during those days was drastically different from today’s plethora of coffee shops, restaurants, and family-friendly entertainment, he recalled. But John said when the International Folk Festival came to town, those feelings of shame turned to pride.

Why it matters

The Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County, the showrunner of the International Folk Festival, is at the root of that hometown pride. From Martha and Mildred, the festival was managed by the Olde Fayetteville Association who then passed the baton to the Arts Council in 2000. With nearly 22 different cultures represented, 35 different marching units, and an average of 75,000 in attendance, the Arts Council works year round to make the festival happen.

“Everything we do is to use art and culture to bring people together,” said Robert Pinson, president of the Arts Council.

The people are what it’s all about, Robert expressed. Anita Flowers, a representative of Romania in the Parade of Nations, agreed.

In 2008 Anita immigrated to the United States at age 26. While attending the International Folk Festival in 2014, Anita spotted a Romanian flag on the hat of another woman and a conversation sparked between the two.

That woman was Laura Strater, a local special education teacher and leader of the Romanian representatives in the International Folk Festival. Anita explained it meant the world to her to find a Romanian community, a connection that never would have happened if it weren’t for the International Folk Festival.

“We all [members of the Romanian group] grew up in a communist and war-ridden country,” Anita said, “and I think we all see the beauty of being able to live and excel in the land of the free.”

For a festival that exudes patriotism and celebration, there was a time when the inevitability of the International Folk Festival was tested. John recalls that fateful time in 2001.

“When 9/11 happened, the entire country shut down. There were no football games, there were no festivals,” John said.

The board of the International Folk Festival conducted a meeting to decide whether continuing with the festival that year was feasible. John felt it was important that they did.

“We decided that if we couldn’t have the Folk Festival in the heartbeat of the U.S. military, if we said ‘no,’ then the enemy had won,” John explained.

Just three weeks after the terror attacks, food booths sprung to life, music rang through the streets of downtown Fayetteville and Parade of Nations participants marched through the streets like they never had before.

“I’m not going to pretend that we weren’t scared. But the spirit of Fayetteville rang true that year,” John expressed with pride.

The magic behind it all

Twenty-three years later, the pride of each nation represented — from each stitch of the costumes to every diligently made meal — continues to exude from every performer, marcher, and vendor.

The Philippine-American Club of Fayetteville, a group of over 400 members, has been a part of the International Folk Festival since its start.

Bryan Barretto, president of the club, said they begin planning for the festival every spring. In addition to the group’s participation in the Parade of Nations, the Philippine-American Club of Fayetteville also has a food booth where they serve fried rice, barbeque sticks, and traditional snacks.

Beth Caro, the parade coordinator for the Philippine-American Club of Fayetteville, handmakes the traditional barong outfits that members wear for the parade. The barong is a long-sleeved embroidered shirt, often worn in formal settings, and Beth said it can take her up to four hours to make just one.

During the days leading up to the festival, the smell of homemade lumpia, Filipino spring rolls, and pancit, a rice noodle dish, made by Beth and other members of the Philippine-American Club of Fayetteville, waft through her home. Her house is filled with barongs and other traditional clothing ready to be displayed during the parade, Beth said.

Festival participants for some countries, like Mexico, take up nearly three city blocks during the Parade of Nations, according to Robert.

Others, like Romania, are small but mighty. Laura said their participation varies each year, but regardless of numbers, it’s a pleasure and an honor to be a part of the parade.

“I believe that what we are and where we used to live is still within us,” Laura said.

What to expect

This year, attendees at the International Folk Festival can expect a bit of old with a flair of the new, according to Robert. The festival will have a small presence Friday, Sept. 27, during 4th Friday with food and art vendors, live music, and an arts “LatinXhibit” displayed in the Arts Council building, located at 301 Hay St.

The festival will begin with a full day of celebration Saturday, Sept. 28, beginning at 8:30 a.m. with a breakfast and followed by the beloved Parade of Nations on Hay Street in the heart of downtown Fayetteville at 10 a.m.

The remainder of the weekend will be packed with performances, music, food, and plenty of entertainment for all ages.

The newest addition to the festival, the Youth Creation Station, is what Robert said he is most excited about.

Festival Park, at 335 Ray Ave., will be set up for the station with a variety of activities for children from story time to crafts and games, all with the focus of teaching the younger generation about the cultures of the International Folk Festival.

Volunteers are at the root of the festival’s success and the Arts Council is always on the hunt for willing participants, Robert said.

To volunteer for the festival, join the parade, register as a vendor, or for more information on the International Folk Festival, visit the Arts Council website.

Read CityView Magazine’s “Fall in Fayetteville” September 2024 e-edition here.