A traditional Korean dance and drum troupe will headline the Lakewood International Festival this Saturday, May 18, at Pierce College Fort Steilacoom.
Festival-goers also can enjoy South Sound performances representing cultures from around the globe and sample Polynesian, Caribbean and other international cuisine. Vendors will sell jewelry, art and crafts.
International students attending Pierce College will show kids how to fold paper into origami creations, play games and write their name in different languages. Plus, children can see what henna painting is about, get their face painted and watch a magician.
The fun happens from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. in the Cascade Building Student Activity Center on the college's Lakewood campus.
Pierce College is one of the many community sponsors of the free event. The festival, which is being held for the 13th year, typically attracts more than 1,000 visitors. This year’s celebration is highlighting South Korea.
The City of Siheung in South Korea is sending 11 members of the professional Siheung Municipal Traditional Arts Troupe to perform at the celebration. The group will appear in the festival’s opening ceremony at 11:30 a.m. and will perform for about an hour starting around 4 p.m.
The Lakewood Sister Cities Association, the event’s main sponsor, was created to highlight the diversity of the Lakewood community and educate the public about the city’s sister and friendship cities, association President Connie Coleman-Lacadie said.
Lakewood’s sister cities are Okinawa City, Japan, and Bauang, Philippines. The city has less formal “friendship” relationships with Gimhae, South Korea, and Danzhou, People’s Republic of China.
“The Lakewood Sister Cities Association promotes international harmony just as the festival melds East and West and encourages cooperation between different cultures,” Coleman-Lacadie said.
Cross-cultural cooperation will be in abundance Saturday. Performers from the South Sound will represent Hawaiian, Indian, Thai, Filipino, Samoan, Guamanian, Native American, Middle Eastern, Mexican, Japanese and other traditions.
Lakewood International Festival: Honoring South Korea
Saturday, May 18, 2013
11 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Pierce College Fort Steilacoom
Cascade Building, fourth floor, Student Activity Center
9401 Farwest Dr. S.W. Lakewood, WA 98498
More info: www.lsca.us or call (253) 906-1346