This weekend, dozens of international cultures will come together in Tower Grove Park at the Festival of Nations.
The annual event brings thousands to the park for what’s known as the region’s largest multicultural gathering. The International Institute has planned the event in its current iteration since 2001, noting the city has hosted some similar multicultural event each year since 1934.
“We believe that by sharing food from an unknown culture, you begin to understand that culture: listening to their music, and their art and culture, all of those things,” said Arrey Obenson, president of the International Institute of St. Louis. “That's why the festivals were started.”
This year’s festival comes as immigration policy is an increasingly divisive issue in state and local politics. Organizers hope to promote immigrant communities in the St. Louis region.
Immigrants account for about 5% of the region’s population – and the International Institute of St. Louis is a leading advocate for boosting those numbers. This year, the organization reports welcoming the largest number of immigrants and refugees seen in 20 years.
“Nations are built by the strength of local communities, and local communities in the United States are made stronger by the ability for those communities to embrace and integrate diversity,” said Obenson.
He said that in the past six months, the organization has settled people from at least 23 countries speaking 55 different languages.
“We rely heavily on community support,” he said. “St. Louis has the capacity and ability to take in thousands of immigrants who are coming here, but it largely depends on the coordination and the collaboration of key actors, key community stakeholders, to include the City of St. Louis, to include businesses within the St. Louis community.”
That means logistical and quality of life issues that impact longtime residents, such as education, transportation and housing, are also areas of focus for the International Institute’s efforts.
“Yes, there are challenges, but it doesn't mean that those challenges cannot be overcome,” he said. “If we work together, we can address those challenges and we can build capacity in other organizations as well to be able to work on more people.”
This year’s lineup of live entertainment features local and international acts. New this year: a Holi-inspired “color party” during a Saturday evening DJ set. The schedule of “global experiences” activities includes traditional music lessons, a cigar rolling presentation and a skate workshop.
“This is a big opportunity to get to know many countries in one spot,” said Leticia Seitz, one of this year’s 80 vendors. “You don't need a passport to get out of this city: Go to the Tower Grove and bring yourself and open your mind.”
Seitz owns Arte Rojo, a local Mexican folk art boutique. She said the power of the festival isn’t just in showcasing the region’s diversity – it’s highlighting the ways in which immigrants like herself contribute to St. Louis.
“I'm not excluded, included, I'm part of it. And this is amazing,” she said. “This is what we want when we leave our countries.”
The 2024 festival will also include a booth showcasing parts of “St. Louis culture” – think provel cheese and toasted ravioli.
“We just don't only want to show that the rest of the world is in St. Louis, but there are also things that are unique about St. Louis,” said Obenson. “For those who are new arrivals in this community, this may be their chance to discover Ted Drewes. They could have lived here for five years and never had the opportunity to engage with it.”
The International Institute will also share its work and mission at a booth at the festival, which begins Saturday morning and runs through Sunday evening. A full lineup and map are available on the festival’s website.
