Celebrating 30 Years of International Food and Cultures at SMSU and in the Marshall area

Worldfest Program Overview:

A Celebration of International Cultures and Local Diversity through Education, Food, Arts, and Cultural Performances

In 2022, SMSU partnered with Visit Marshall and the City of Marshall to launch a new event that built on the 30-year tradition of International Food, Entertainment, and Education at SMSU. The first WorldFest in 2022 was an overwhelming success drawing over 1,000 attendees to a full day of ethnic food, cultural performances, and global experiences. The event brought together the SMSU community with Marshall and regional residents in a celebration of the many cultures in southwest Minnesota. WorldFest is the area’s biggest global celebration of the year. WorldFest 2023 is poised to eclipse the success of 2022 with even more food options, performers, and expo booths to introduce participants to new countries, cultures, and members of our community.

We are proud that WorldFest is an inclusive and welcoming celebration of world and local cultures and diversity.

When & Where

When:

Saturday, April 15, 2023
12 p.m.-6 p.m.

Where:

Red Baron Arena

1651 Victory Dr
Marshall, MN 56258

Support WorldFest!
Donate Here

2023 WorldFest Schedule

12:00 Native Arts Collaborative

12:40 Welcome

12:55 Ratsamee Lee

1:00 Narren of New Ulm

1:45 Hmong Dance

2:15 Bollywood Dance

2:20 Anthony & Saishal

2:30 Jazz by Pete and Ross

2:50 Henok Asfaw

3:00 Upper Sioux Drum Group

3:30 Karen Dance Troupe

3:50 Sal Jayasuriya

4:00 Anthony Xiong-Yang

4:15 MadHatters

4:35 Moshood Agboola

4:40 Danza Guadalupana

5:00 Duniya Drum and Dance

Cultural Exhibits and Food Vendors will be open from 12:00-6:00PM

Download Full Schedule

Purpose:

WorldFest is an educational and cultural event helping to build appreciation, respect, and a greater understanding of cultural differences.

Equally as important, we want to create a more inclusive and welcoming community for all at SMSU and in the wider Marshall area.

WorldFest will include three key areas:

The World Cuisine

The World Cuisine offerings introduces us to the tastes and flavors from around the world and our own backyard.

2023 Vendors

Asian Hut
Atlantic Place
Brau Bros
Holmberg Orchard
Lingen Dairy
MGLX Food & Drink
Momma Maria's Rolling Taco Truck
Scotty Bigg's BBQ
The Blender Co. Coffee & Drinks

Contact Adri DeBoer at Visit Marshall at adri.deboer@visitmarshallmn.com.

The World Cultures Expo

The World Cultures Expo features SMSU students and community members sharing information about their respective home countries and cultures. The area also features several hands-on activities. Seventeen informational booths were available in 2022.

2023 Exhibits

The Arc Minnesota, Bahamas, Dominican Republic, Ethiopia, The Gambia, Ghana, Guatemala, Hmong, Jamaica, Karen, Laos, Mexico, Nepal, Nigeria, Norway, Peru, Saudi Arabia, Somali, Taiwan, Lyon County Historical Museum, Marshall Lyon County Library, Youth for Understand Exchange Programs, SMSU Culinology -Taste of Pickles Around the World, Origami, Fun with Flags, Marshall DEI Committee, Hmong ABC Bookstore, ME Fuller, SMSU Admissions

Contact Eric Doise for more information at eric.doise@smsu.edu

The World Stage

The World Stage showcases talent from SMSU, the local community, professional artists, and performance groups representing international and diverse cultures in southwest Minnesota.

2023 Performers

Bollywood Dance
Danza Guadalupana
Duniya Drum and Dance
Henok Asfaw
Hmong Dance
Anthony Xiong-Yang and Saishal Shrestha
Anthony Xiong-Yang
Karen Dance Troupe
MadHatters
Moshood Agboola
Narren of New Ulm
Native Pride
Pete & Ross
Ratsamee Lee
Sal Jayasuriya
Upper Sioux Drum Group

Contact Tetta Askeland at tetta.askeland@smsu.edu

Event Sponsors:

This activity is funded in part with a grant from the Southwest Minnesota Arts Council made possible by the voters of Minnesota, thanks to a legislative appropriation from arts and cultural heritage fund.

2023 World Stage Performances

Back for the second year in a row, Duniya Drum & Dance will be preforming under the direction of Fode Bangoura. Come experience traditional rhythms and dances from Guinea West Africa. Duniya brings a high energy interactive performance that is fun for the whole family. More about Duniya Drum & Dance

Experience a performance by the Native Pride Dancers featuring the Father/Son Duo, Sean and Jason Soukkala. The Native Pride Dancers, based out of St. Paul, MN and founded by Larry Yazzie, is an internationally renowned, high-energy group featuring an innovative blend of modern and traditional Native American dance styles. Their cultural heritage is reflected in their movements, songs, stories, and their authentic regalia.

Hmong Poetry

We are a small Asian ethnic group but resilience is within all of us, and hopefully we will continue to share and preserve our culture through a variety of ways like writing paj huam (poems), our instruments, cross-knitting embroideries and many other ways. All the love and support for our Hmong people and communities around the world!

The Narren are a humorous composite of people and personalities who give color and life to communities around the world with their hand carved wooden masks and colorful costumes. Since 1989, the Narren of New Ulm have been entertaining people of all ages at many festivals throughout the area and beyond. Inspiration to form the The Narren of New Ulm came from a chance encounter with a narren group from Germany who appeared at New Ulm's Heritagefest in 1988.