The 9th annual Weston World Fest brought international “Folk Tales, Fables & Fairy Tales” to western Broward County, with close to 3,500 people celebrating global cultures, cuisine and onstage entertainment on Sunday, March 3rd at Weston Regional Park.
Annalisa Walker, Special Events Manager, comments, “This year’s World Fest truly captured the cultural diversity that exists in the Weston community. The Theme Village, the country booths, the selections of entertainment, and the variety of food choices provided guests with an opportunity to explore the world right here in their own backyard. Bringing people together in this way makes this event so popular.”
Laura Dobrzanski, President of the ACGW, adds, “Weston World Fest continues to grow exponentially and exceed all of our expectations every year. We are truly amazed and delighted by the community’s widespread passion and interest in celebrating different cultures in such a unique and festive way. We are grateful to all who help us by volunteering or sponsoring, including a grant from the Broward Cultural Division.”
Attendees were able to visit 20 country booths and a Theme Village with displays and interactive booths illustrating this year’s event theme. This year, the country booths outdid themselves in highlighting the theme through their décor, costuming and kids’ activities.
The festival opened with a performance by the Cypress Bay marching band, followed by a variety of world-class performances held onstage throughout the day. New acts included Wayna Music of the Andes, Polish harpist Karina Kusz, Indian drum group Guru Garjana Dhol Tasha Patchak and Lavani Dance Group, and Ukrainian group Dance Folk Modern Group Millennium.
Local restaurants and caterers offered international foods and beverages representing the cuisines of India, Singapore, Greece, France, the Middle East, China, Italy and the USA. Raffle prizes including gift certificates to local restaurants, a swim school, and kids’ prizes were awarded at the close of the event.
Carol Lema, Event Director, commented, “It really does take a village to bring an event of this size and caliber to the community. We are so very grateful for our partnership with the City of Weston, our board, our event co-directors, and the hundreds of adult and student volunteers who make this possible. Weston World Fest is truly a gift to the community, by the community.”
