Denverites were all smiles at the city's International Festival despite the heat. As the dancers turned, telling beautiful stories in the art form they know best, parents, children, and other spectators piled into the shade, vegging out on delicious food while trying to decipher the stories appearing before their eyes. Michaela Nee, was one of those spectators, trying to capture video of the Romanian dance group. She cracked a smile and awed at the movement of the dancers. "It [is] really cool to see [these] dances." She stayed first for an Indian dance group, and then for a Romanian dance group.
Just past the stage in Civic Center Park were booths from local organizations. From voter registration, to painted silk scarves, to face painting, to home window replacement, there was something for everyone to check out. Nee wandered from booth to booth, checking out the local art, services, and products, also taking some time to register to vote in Colorado and talk to some folks petitioning for ballot measures. "There [are] so many booths selling beautiful jewelry and art, spreading the word about international exchange and language programs, people registering people to vote and gathering signatures on important causes, and best of all, TONS of rad food trucks."
Along the nearby path, other attendees had difficulty deciding which food truck to get lunch from. More than thirty international restaurants and food trucks lined the path, emitting sweet, spicy, and savory aromas, and everything in between. From spicy dishes from Ethiopia, to savory Mediterranean foods, to traditional dishes from Columbia, to delicious dishes from Ukraine, Denverites could sample food from around the world for the day, trying anything from empanadas and arepas, to miser and beef tibs, to Vareniki and Kovbasa. Nee was impressed with the wide variety of food trucks. "There [are] a lot of vegan options, which I appreciate." Nee settled on one of the vegan options offered by the food trucks, miser from the Ethiopian Food Truck. It was the first time she had tried Ethiopian food, and she quickly became a fan. "I tried some Ethiopian miser (a lentil-based dish) and it was delicious!"
Nee offered the following reflection on the event: "I absolutely wish I could have stayed at this festival longer - two hours was not long enough! The festival had a constant stream of musical and dance performances going on. I definitely will be back next year!"
Between the food, music, art, dance, and people, Denverites couldn't ask for a better celebration.
The Denver International Festival celebrates the diversity of countries and cultures represented by the Mile High City's residents. With traditional food, art, dance, music, among other things, hundreds of Denverites braved the heat to gather in celebration. You can learn more about the festival by visiting their website: www.internationalfest.org.
