Mouth-watering aromas, fabulous music and entertainment, kids’ activities like face painting, air toys, puppets and story telling….. sounds like it’s time for another Festival of Cultures. Saturday, April 8, in historic downtown Cleveland, the 5th Annual Festival of Cultures will once again be headquartered at the Museum Center at Five Points from 10 to 5.

Several blocks of downtown Cleveland will be roped off for the festivities where festivals goers can experience a multitude of culinary treats – from the Caribbean, jerk chicken and island drinks, Hispanic goodies like fried tacos, tamales, and a Salvadorian tortilla yummy called “pupusa” (be sure to stop by the Green Hill Spanish COGOP booth and ask Sixto what it is that goes into the “pupusa” that makes it so tasty!).

N’awlins – that scrumptious restaurant at the Howard Johnson’s hotel - will be on hand dishin’ up their deeelish jambalaya and gumbo, while Russian, French, and good ole southern dishes will be served as well. That’s right – Bar BQ, chicken wings, hamburgers & hotdogs - even funnel cakes and cotton candy. And don’t forget to save room for polish sausages, and there will - of course - be popcorn and lots of sweets. From South America – Chilean sandwiches called empandas – and from the Columbians - empanadas and pinchoscostillas.

Entertainment this year will be performing on two stages: The First Tennessee stage at Johnston Park and the Museum Stage in the courtyard behind the Center. A complete line up of entertainment can be found at GuestLineTN.com (Events-Festival of Cultures.) There will be lots of different types of music from the many diverse cultures represented in Cleveland’s diverse community. The always popular Cherokee Indian Storyteller will be returning to entertian kids and adults.

Parking is not a problem for this downtown event as the Museum’s central location gives an abundance of choices. You can log onto the website if you aren’t familiar with the downtown parking spots, and click onto the Festival Map (Festivalofcultures.org) or simply drive really slowly and ask one of the friendly festival staff the closest and easiest place to park.

That’s the cool thing about this festival – every year it seems to reflect the mission of the organizers – to create space where folks can gather together - getting along – enjoying the gifts and uniqueness of one another.