30,000 Plus Expected at 30th Annual International Festival

The 30^th annual International Festival of Raleigh will take place October 9 through October 11 at the Raleigh Convention center. Fun for the whole family, tickets are available online at www.internationalfestival.org, with discounts for military, seniors, students and children.

The weekend of festivities starts with a naturalization ceremony that will swear in more than 200 foreign-born individuals as citizens of the United States. This is the only ceremony in North Carolina that is held outside of a courthouse. It is open to the public and allows family and friends to observe this momentous occasion. The ceremony begins at 2:30 p.m. on the main stage in the Raleigh Convention Center.

Immediately following the naturalization ceremony, the festival doors will open with music, dance, food and activities from around the globe. More than 60 countries and cultures will be represented.

New for 2015:

• Biergarten with cask beer tastings
  • In partnership with Shop Local Raleigh
  • Local breweries preparing special international flavored beers
• Expanded Children’s Activities
  • In partnership with City of Raleigh Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources Department and Usborne Books
  • Arts and crafts
  • Story telling
  • Interactive activities
  • Kids talent show

Special Attribute:

• Dance demonstrations, all weekend on the main stage
• Food from 27 different cultures and countries
• Cooking demonstrations
• Cultural exhibits
• Shopping bazaar

Featured Performances:

• Friday 7:30 p.m. – Diali Cisskoho & Kaira Ba – African
• Friday 9:15 p.m. – Nine Times Around – Celtic/Irish
• Saturday 3:00 p.m. – Batuque de Terrario – Brazilian Drumming & Percussion
• Saturday 4:45 p.m. – Crucial Fiya – Reggae
• Sunday 3:30 p.m. – International Dance Competition

Tickets:

• $9.95 – Adults
• $7.50 – Seniors, Military, Students and Kids 7-12
• Free – children under 6

For more information, visit www.internationalfestival.org.