One of the biggest cultural events in the Grand Forks area, the 49th annual Feast of Nations, will be Saturday at the Alerus Center, with food, music and cultural exhibits from around the world.
The Feast of Nations, widely recognized as a festival of diversity, showcases and celebrates different world cultures through performances and a full-course ethnic meal. The International Organization of UND is the initiator of the event, and students do most of the organizing.
"This event is a great way for people to get a taste of the rest of the world," Eller Bonifacio, president of IO, said in a news release. "We have cultural table displays, amazing international performances and delicious ethnic food."
This year's performances include:
Fubuki Daiko, a Japanese drum and flute ensemble. Their debut CD, "Fubuki," received a Prairie Music Award for Outstanding Instrumental Recording.
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Folklore de Mi Tierra, a Columbian dance group that will perform traditional Columbian dances such as the cumba, pasadoble and bachata.
Walking Wolf dancers and singers who promote the cultural identity of aboriginal peoples.
Paradize, a band with Caribbean influences, will bring rhythms of the Caribbean with soca, calypso, steel pan and reggae music.
Feast of Nations, which begins at 5:30 p.m., also will feature student performers from UND. The menu will feature a Middle Eastern appetizer, hummus and pita; Norwegian cucumber salad; curried Indian vegetable soup; Hungarian chicken paprikash with couscous (a vegetarian option is available); and Brazilian brigadeiros for dessert.
Tickets are available at UND Memorial Union Services Desk, $15 for students and children and $20 for nonstudents. Reservations for a table of 10 are $250.
The International Organization aims to enhance goodwill and understanding between cultures within the UND campus and the surrounding communities. IO is not just for international students at UND, but also for individuals who would like to share their knowledge, culture and abilities in order to impact society. Log on to www.und.edu/org/intlorg for more information.
The official event website is at www.feastofnations.und.edu .
