Jackson's International Food and Arts Festival expands to new venue at Fairgrounds
In its largest expansion yet, Jackson's International Food and Arts Festival returns for its ninth year, but this time, at the Fairgrounds.
Celebrating the city's melting pot of cultures through the representation of more than 50 countries, the festival will be held on Saturday, Sept. 23 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Event co-chairs Dr. Sandra Dee and Eduardo Morales announced all that's being offered this year during a recent press conference, noting that the festival has outgrown its prior downtown Jackson location in what Dee described as a result of "tremendous support and attendance."
Previous years proved increasingly successful with thousands of attendees and approximately 80 vendors in 2022, the organizers explained. With more than 140 vendors signed up this year, a larger venue was undoubtedly needed to accommodate the festival's growing expansion.
"It's very important for us to involve more people because our mission is to let others know who we are and what we do and encourage people to respect cultures," Morales said.
Featuring a parade of cultures, various dance and theatre performances, and a plethora of food from dozens of countries, a full festival itinerary and map will soon be released and found on the JIFAF website.
The creative area for children has also been amplified this year through more extensive activities like face painting, percussion lessons, and art creation.
"That's important also that the youth gets involved with activities like this, knowing other cultures, and educating themselves of the different people that live here in the community," Dee said.
An immigrant from the Philippines and Jacksonian for the last two decades, Dee says that the festival "means everything" to her.
"It's very symbolic to me," Dee said. "It means acceptance of diversity here in our city and that the city recognizes the international community and its contributions to Jackson," she said.
This article originally appeared on Jackson Sun: Jackson International Food and Arts Festival to expand to Fairgrounds
