International Folk Festival

By Teri Saylor

The Arts Council of Fayetteville | Cumberland County invites everyone near and far to take a magical, musical trip around the world in a single day without traveling farther than Hay Street and Festival Park.

People of all ages and nationalities are guaranteed an unforgettable experience at Fayetteville’s 48th Annual International Folk Festival, Sept. 25 & 26, a celebration of the region’s rich and diverse culture.

Every year, almost 30 nations come together as one community to celebrate and honor the region’s cultural diversity during a day filled with vibrant art, dance, music and delicious food.

A Global Community, Rooted in Service

Home to the world’s largest U.S. Army base by population, Cumberland County is a global community where cultures, traditions and experiences from around the world come together.

“We bring people from all over the world to Fayetteville and Cumberland County by virtue of having Fort Bragg right in our backyard,” says Kennon Jackson, CEO of the Arts Council of Fayetteville | Cumberland County.

Fourth Friday Kickoff With El Centro Hispano

This year, the IFF kicks off during Fayetteville’s Fourth Friday activities. The Arts Council is partnering with El Centro Hispano, a local nonprofit organization that represents the Latino and Hispanic communities in and around Fayetteville and Cumberland County.

The festivities start at 4 p.m. in the 300 block of Hay Street where El Centro Hispano will showcase cultural activities and entertainment.

Individual artists will have an opportunity to set up exhibit space alongside downtown retailers, partnering with them to attract Fourth Friday visitors. The Arts Council will lead a small gallery crawl in that area, Jackson says.

“Joining Fourth Friday will help us promote our festival and given how busy and enjoyable Fourth Fridays are for so many people, we believe we will see good attendance,” Jackson says.

The Parade of Nations

The main events on Saturday – the family-favorite Parade of Nations at 10 a.m. followed by an afternoon of entertainment, art, and food at Festival Park – attract as many as 75,000 spectators each year.

The parade is a feast of sight and sound, a smorgasbord of music, colorful costumes, floats, and dancing. At noon, Festival Park will open for live entertainment on multiple stages.

Music That Breaks Down Barriers

The Durham musical group, Different Drum, with founder Alex Weiss, his wife, Li-Lan Hsiang Weiss, and Brian Pearl, perform regularly at the IFF, and they hope to be back this year. Weiss appreciates opportunities for people of different cultures to come together and learn from each other.

“It is important to get out and share experiences in the real world rather than being confined to a computer or cell phone,” he says. “Going to festivals and interacting with people from diverse backgrounds, having fun together and listening to music together helps break down barriers.”

A Festival Born From a Simple Conversation

Always a marquee event in Fayetteville since Martha Duell and Mildred Evans launched it in 1978, the IFF has grown into one of the most beloved festivals in the region, says Deborah Mintz, a former Arts Council CEO who retired in 2019.

It all started with a simple conversation.

“At the time, Martha and Mildred were chatting about the cultural diversity in Cumberland County, where people from all over the world have made their home,” Mintz says. “They thought it would be a great way to bring the community together.”

In 2001, the world was rocked by the devastating Sept. 11 attacks on the United States. The IFF was scheduled just a few weeks later, and organizers were torn over whether to proceed. Some other festivals across North Carolina had been cancelled, Mintz says.

“It was a scary time, and the police met with the cultural groups along with the Arts Council and had a big debate about whether to proceed with the event,” she says. “I remember that a woman stood up and said she was proud of where she came from and even prouder of where she was that day.”

The group ultimately decided it was important to take a stand and let the festival proceed as planned.

A representative of the Philippines group suggested that the cultural groups participating in the Parade of Nations carry an American flag alongside the flag of their own country, Mintz says.

Mintz calls that year’s parade one of the most moving events she’s ever witnessed.

“There was certainly a great police presence, with swat teams on the rooftops and so forth,” she says. “And seeing the Parade of Nations march down Hay Street carrying American flags was an amazing sight.”

A Food Scene That’s Legendary

If the parade and entertainment are inspiring, the festival’s food scene is legendary.

“The International Folk Festival is known for its food,” Jackson says. “The food stands on the Festival Park Promenade give visitors an opportunity to sample authentic cuisine from all over the world, and whether it’s Thailand, Africa, Jamaica, or other countries – there’s always something for everybody.”

Growing Up With the Festival

The IFF is one of Jackson’s favorite Arts Council events. Before taking over as CEO after Bob Pinson’s recent retirement, he had a 15-year career on the Arts Council staff. Before that, he served as one of the many IFF volunteers.

“What I’ve always enjoyed the most on the day of the festival is walking through the crowd from the tip of Festival Park Plaza in the middle of the day all the way to the other side and seeing so many smiling faces,” he says.

The IFF is one of the longest running events in Fayetteville. Jackson says it’s ingrained in the community and everyone expects to see it on the events calendar each year — a nod to how much residents and visitors enjoy it.

Jackson also views the IFF as a way to lift up downtown and contribute to making Fayetteville  a cultural destination and a draw for tourism.

“I am happy to say that the International Folk Festival is one of those events in Fayetteville that people always look forward to,” he says. “It’s a weekend that revolves around culture, food, and art, underscoring what Fayetteville means for many people.”

Why It Matters

For Weiss, it is personal.

In his younger days, he hitchhiked around the country, interacting with the drivers who gave him rides – farmers, truckers, moms, and dads. His experiences with different ways of thinking and living added vibrancy and meaning to his life.

That’s the same feeling he gets from the IFF.

“Opening your mind and realizing there are many ways to think and to be leads to an appreciation for different cultures, people and life. Because it’s diversity that makes this earth a richer place to live.”

— Alex Weiss, Different Drum

Read More from the Arts Council of Fayetteville│Cumberland County