AEC Culture Fest is a free family festival that celebrates and promotes the Chattanooga area's rich cultural diversity through music, dance, food, and artistic display and creation. The 9th annual celebration will be Saturday, Sept. 27, in Coolidge Park, from 11 a.m. – 7 p.m., offering activities, performances and demonstrations to educate and entertain the family.

Culture Fest is a program of the Arts & Education Council, a local non-profit organization dedicated to providing opportunities for life-long learning and participation in the arts for all members of the community. According to event organizers, this year's event will be more interactive, offering hands on learning experiences for all ages using the entire park - from the pavilion to the peace grove to the river stage.

The river stage will feature the talents of local and regional performers including the India Association, Chinese Association, Guatemalan dancers, Tulsi, OGYA band and Miyagi Ryu/Nosho Kai (Japanese dance and taiko drum). The evening will conclude with a presentation of Middle Eastern music by award-winning Israeli percussionist Chen Zimbalista.

For the first time, Culture Fest will include theatre in its line-up of stage performances. Teatro de la Rosa will present a fully bilingual production of "The Green Rabbit (El Conejito Verde)," a Mexican folktale conveyed through the use of handmade masks and lots of audience interaction.

"Culture Fest brings glimpses of the whole world to Chattanooga," says Rajul Soni, president of the local India Association. "It provides a framework for locals to interact with people from different cultural and ethnic backgrounds through a perfect combination of entertainment and education."

Participants will be able to visit booths from merchants, artists and cultural organizations. International games, dance instruction, martial arts demonstrations and authentic clothing are just a few of the activities in the Hands on the World tent, and the Artquest tent will offer free activities for children. Storytellers will narrate tales from around the globe in Walker Pavilion, led by emcee Jim Pfitzer. A variety of ethnic foods vendors will offer tasty selections, featuring Thai, Indian, Cajun and Cuban.

"The goal is to leave with a better understanding and awareness of cultural diversity,"
said Laurel Eldridge, AEC program director.

For more information or to volunteer, visit CultureFest.org or call 267-1218.