The Holmes Cultural Diversity Center, along with the World Neighbors Association, will be hosting the 31st annual International Fiesta from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 1.
The event will showcase different cultures to the Starkville community and Mississippi State University students.
The International Fiesta includes booths with food and displays from different student organizations, departments and community groups.
Kei Mamiya serves as interim director of the Holmes Cultural Diversity Center, as well as coordinator of this event. He described how various groups utilize food to benefit their cause.
“Most of them are cooking their homemade dishes and have fundraisers, so not only can a lot of people from here try their authentic food, but it is also a benefit for their organizations,” Mamiya said.
Along with the array of booths, there will also be a main stage, which will have performances from different participating organizations. Another aspect of the Fiesta is the flag parade, where students, faculty and community members will parade from Allen Hall to the center of the Drill Field with their nation’s flag.
The International Fiesta made its comeback last year after a two-year hiatus following the coronavirus pandemic.
“I think the pandemic created challenges because while the event has been going on for a long time, and a lot of people had this institutional knowledge of the event, people just didn’t get to know the event during those two years,” Mamiya said.
Kayla Pigott, a member of the German Club, could not reveal all of the exciting things planned, but teased a bit of the club’s strategy.
“There was talk of having polka, like the German polka performances at Oktoberfest. A lot of our decor inspiration comes from Oktoberfest,” said Pigott, a sophomore industrial engineering major.
Some participants of the past few International Fiestas have included the Sri Lankan Student Association and the Nepalese Student Association.
Samadhi Nawalage, a graduate teaching assistant of chemistry at MSU, is the current secretary of the Sri Lankan Student Association.
The group has participated in the fiesta every year. Nawalage said the group’s main goal for the fiesta is showcasing Sri Lanka’s diverse culture and enthusiastic spirit.
“One of the best things about the International Fiesta is the diversity it brings, promoting unity and the opportunity for people from different backgrounds to come together,” Nawalage said.
The event brings the community and student body together to celebrate different cultures.
“Starkville is a small community, and to have a lot of people from different countries and cultures dressing in their traditional clothing, and to be really excited about bringing that culture, is a really good thing. The atmosphere is one of the greatest things that I’m excited about,” Mamiya said.