One thing that gives Fayetteville its distinctive vibe is the different cultures that reside here. Immersed in every part of the city and surrounding area, the influences can be seen in food, music, art and events. The city hosts one of the country's largest military instillations, two major Universities, and an increasingly growing population from the surrounding rural areas, making it the melting pot of North Carolina.
There is only one way to celebrate the vibrancy of the cultural diversity of a city: an International Folk Festival. This year marks 46 years of celebrating the diversity of Fayetteville.
The International Folk Festival is a free-to-attend, two-day community event. This year’s IFF is Sept. 28 and 29, with the Parade of Nations on the 28th at 10 a.m. kicking off the festivities. The Parade of Nations is a spectacular visual representation of the many cultures that are represented here in the city. This year’s parade will have over 30 nations flying their flags and showcasing clothing, music and dance from their home nations.
Those attending the parade should bring chairs for comfort and get downtown early to secure a good viewing spot. The parade will run down Hay Street, meaning there will be plenty of “perfect spots” to go around. Anyone interested in representing their nation should register at https://www.eventeny.com/events/vendor/?id=12502 by Sept. 19.
For those who want to start IFF by getting the blood flowing, the IFF Around the World 5K Run is Sept. 28 starting at 8 a.m. and ending at approximately 9:15 a.m. with an awards presentation. Registration is on Friday, Sept. 27 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Sols Arcade and Taproom, 420 Hay Street. Those who want to participate can visit the website https://runsignup.com/Race/AroundtheWorldRun/Page-1.
Registration is $45 and proceeds from the run go to The Friends of Civil Affairs Scholarship Fund, an organization committed to helping Civil Affairs soldiers and their families. Sponsoring this year’s run are Gaston Brewing, LC38, Cape Fear Botanical Garden, Team Jadlow, Sols Arcade and Taproom, Veterans Guardian, and the International Folk Festival.
After the Parade of Nations and the 5K run, attendees can head over to the International Cafe to grab some food. This will be a designated spot for food vendors and food trucks. There will be many options to choose from, representing every corner of the world, a foodie's paradise.
Miles McKeller-Smith, Director of Public Relations at the Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County said, “We will have a variety of international food vendors in our International Cafe. This includes Japanese, Honduran, French, and Filipino cuisines, to name a few.”
The Art Market will provide a place for people to explore different vendors, selling everything from traditional clothing to soaps and wooden figurines. The market provides not only a place to make new purchases but also to have a cultural exchange and learn something new about the cultures that call
Fayetteville home.
McKeller-Smith is looking forward to the market and the cafe, saying “We will have various food and arts and craft vendors present for the festival. Our art market alone will have over 30 vendors present selling items such as handmade jewelry, body and home goods, paintings, and so much more.”
There will also be interactive art installations and a kid's zone for some energy-burning activity.
Throughout the day, the main stage will see a variety of performances, highlighting the songs and dances of nations from all over the world. A full list of performers and times can be found on the Arts Council website, https://www.wearethearts.com/iff. This year’s “headline” act is Cultural Forces Ukraine, McKeller-Smith said.
According to their website, Cultural Forces, “organize regular visits of cultural figures and psychologists to provide moral support to the population, to study their emotional state and problems through non-formal communication and a special program.”
The group is currently hosting events in “de-occupied” settlements in an effort to spread awareness and keep the areas from being reoccupied. Their site states, “Currently, the de-occupied settlements are in a state of partial destruction, both infrastructurally and psychologically. Residents of these towns and villages were under pressure from enemy propaganda for a long time. As a result, the psychological state of people declines, stagnation and despondency arise… To de-occupy territory, enemies should be expelled. To de-occupy consciousness, hard work with the mind and emotions is required.”
The group, all artists themselves, are fighting to preserve spaces for the youth to create art and use their imagination with their House of Imagination Houses and preserving the country’s existing art with Walls of Culture. For more information on Cultural Forces visit the website https://culturalforces.org/en/.
The International Folk Festival has continued to grow into the massive immersive experience it is today, in big part to the individuals who organized the successful 1st annual International Folk Festival: Martha Duell, Mildred Evans, and John Malzone.
“The festival began after Martha Duell and Mildred Evans approached John Malzone with the hopes of starting an event that every member of the community could enjoy together. The first festival took place in 1978 and we (The Arts Council) started organizing the event in 2000,” explained McKeller-Smith.
Each year that the festival has run it has only grown, from the number of Nations that are represented in the Parade of Nations to the performers who take the stage with pride; every aspect of the festival just keeps growing. The Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County is excited to see the growth and hopes to continue to set the standard each year and surpass it the next. The success of the IFF is due to the collaboration of great minds and generous sponsors.
“We're grateful to our sponsors for helping us bring the International Folk Festival to life! We would like to thank Navy Federal Credit Union, the NC Education Lottery, Metronet, Cumulus Media, the NC Arts Council, the City of Fayetteville, and Cumberland County for their support,” said McKellar-Smith.
The Arts Council is still in need of volunteers for the IFF. Anyone interested should apply online at https://signup.com/client/invitation2/secure/10618457040107/false#/invitation.

(Photos: Top-A singer takes the stage in Festival Park as part of the festivities during IFF. Bottom- A performer from Columbia dances during the Parade of Nations at the 2022 International Folk Festival in downtown Fayetteville. Photos courtesy of the Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County)