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International Festival of Fort Bend set for second year
  
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By DIANE TEZENO
Neeta Sane, founder of the International Festival of Fort Bend, saw her dream of celebrating and capturing the spirit of Fort Bend County’s rich multi-ethnic diversity come true last year with the premiere of the area’s first cultural festival.
”The International Festival of Fort Bend this year again will bring a lot of excitement and fun for people of all ages, cultures and creeds as the festival celebrates and showcases the diversity of Fort Bend County,” said Sane.
In its second year, a host of volunteers, along with newly named president Cheryl Olivier, are working to expand on the success of the inaugural event.
This 2008 festival will be held Oct. 4 between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m at the Stafford Performing Arts and Convention Centre at 10505 Cash Road.
The event is free and open to the public and promises to be a day of cultural exploration and entertainment with activities for the entire family, according to coordinators.
Last year an estimated 6,000 people converged on the Stafford Centre for the event, including groups representing 31 cultures from Africa, Asia, Europe the South Pacific and The Americas and 50 participating vendors.
An estimated 30 cultures have signed up for this year’s event, and more are expected to join in the weeks leading up to the festival, according to coordinators.
This year the event will include many of the same participants, in addition to groups from Ethiopia, Israel, Liberia, Panama, Turkey, Uzbekistan and Vietnam.
“Fort Bend County is one of the fastest growing and most ethnically-diverse counties in the U.S. and yet we are one mind, one heart,” said Cheryl Fuentes-Wagner, cultural director of the IFFB.
Top sponsors of the festival include the cities of Stafford, Missouri City, Sugar Creek Baptist Church and Babies ‘R Us.
New this year is a ticketed event titled “Night of Asia” which will begin at 7:30 p.m. in the Stafford Centre theatre. Each year, festival coordinators plan to spotlight a particular country during this event, similar to the Houston International Festival.
The seven-hour festival will begin with an opening ceremony at 11:30 a.m. followed by a parade featuring residents from several countries and nationalities carrying ethnic flags and marching to a newly created festival theme song “We are One,” said Olivier.
“I would like to see everybody to come together for one day and celebrate everyone’s different nationalities and ethnic backgrounds and just have a good time,” said Olivier of her hopes for the event.
Olivier, a resident of Stafford and member of the Economic Development Corporation, encourages the public to come out to the event.
“This event is right here in Fort Bend County, so you won’t have to travel far,” said Olivier. “We have a lot of wonderful, wonderful things planned for the day.”
Several mayors of local cities will join in the festivities, including Missouri City Mayor Allen Owen, Stafford Mayor Leonard Scarcella and Sugar Land Mayor James Thompson.
Sane, a Houston Community College trustee and founder of the festival, also will be on hand at the event, along with several other officials, including Congressman Al Green, Fort Bend County Commissioner Grady Prestage and State Rep. Dora Olivo.
After the parade, several groups will take the stage to entertain event-goers with various cultural performances from countries around the world.
A special children’s activity area, sponsored by McDonald’s will be set up for younger festival goers, and will include clowns, face painting, balloon art, puppetry, goodie bags, misting stations, a bounce house and the Ronald McDonald Shoe Car.
Coordinators expect students from nearly all of the Fort Bend ISD high schools and Stafford Municipal School District schools to play an integral role in the festival.
“It is important that our young people feel part of our international community, sharing their cultures and learning about others,” said Fuentes-Wagner.
Students will take part in opening ceremonies, work as volunteers, and lead activities, including free language and dance lessons.
“This is a learning experience for our kids to be exposed to so many different cultures,” said Olivier.
So far Bush, Hightower, Stafford and Dulles high schools have confirmed their participation, according to coordinators.
Members of the Missouri City Police Department will be on hand to provide kid fingerprinting and the members of the Missouri City Fire Department will provide tours of the City’s fire truck.
In addition to onstage cultural performances, festival goers can browse through an indoor vendor area that will include a variety of arts and crafts and cultural items.
The festival will also feature a range of ethnic foods from local restaurants, including Ethiopian, Indian, Mexican, Chinese, Persian and Pakistani and American foods.
Food tickets will be sold at the ticket booth on entry into the festival.
The IFFB, an all volunteer organization, invites individuals interested in obtaining community service hours and certificates of participation to volunteer their time.
“Hopefully everyone who attends will leave feeling that they have had a wonderful day, and that the world reflected in Fort Bend County is incredible,” said Fuentes-Wagner.
In five years, Olivier hopes to see the festival continue to grow and for more groups to get involved and celebrate the community’s cultural diversity.
Additional sponsors of the festival include Tara Energy, The city of Sugar Land, Danny Nguyen Commercial, Houston Community College, Blue Ribbon Sausage, Sam’s Club-Stafford, BAPS Temple, Madras Pavilion, Udipi Café, Congressman Al Green, FTS Solutions, McDonalds, Fort Bend Chinese American Association and DS Waters.
For more information or to purchase tickets, contact Sylvia Hu at 281-433-4983 or via e-mail at NightofAsia@gmail.com.
”The International Festival of Fort Bend this year again will bring a lot of excitement and fun for people of all ages, cultures and creeds as the festival celebrates and showcases the diversity of Fort Bend County,” said Sane.
In its second year, a host of volunteers, along with newly named president Cheryl Olivier, are working to expand on the success of the inaugural event.
This 2008 festival will be held Oct. 4 between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m at the Stafford Performing Arts and Convention Centre at 10505 Cash Road.
The event is free and open to the public and promises to be a day of cultural exploration and entertainment with activities for the entire family, according to coordinators.
Last year an estimated 6,000 people converged on the Stafford Centre for the event, including groups representing 31 cultures from Africa, Asia, Europe the South Pacific and The Americas and 50 participating vendors.
An estimated 30 cultures have signed up for this year’s event, and more are expected to join in the weeks leading up to the festival, according to coordinators.
This year the event will include many of the same participants, in addition to groups from Ethiopia, Israel, Liberia, Panama, Turkey, Uzbekistan and Vietnam.
“Fort Bend County is one of the fastest growing and most ethnically-diverse counties in the U.S. and yet we are one mind, one heart,” said Cheryl Fuentes-Wagner, cultural director of the IFFB.
Top sponsors of the festival include the cities of Stafford, Missouri City, Sugar Creek Baptist Church and Babies ‘R Us.
New this year is a ticketed event titled “Night of Asia” which will begin at 7:30 p.m. in the Stafford Centre theatre. Each year, festival coordinators plan to spotlight a particular country during this event, similar to the Houston International Festival.
The seven-hour festival will begin with an opening ceremony at 11:30 a.m. followed by a parade featuring residents from several countries and nationalities carrying ethnic flags and marching to a newly created festival theme song “We are One,” said Olivier.
“I would like to see everybody to come together for one day and celebrate everyone’s different nationalities and ethnic backgrounds and just have a good time,” said Olivier of her hopes for the event.
Olivier, a resident of Stafford and member of the Economic Development Corporation, encourages the public to come out to the event.
“This event is right here in Fort Bend County, so you won’t have to travel far,” said Olivier. “We have a lot of wonderful, wonderful things planned for the day.”
Several mayors of local cities will join in the festivities, including Missouri City Mayor Allen Owen, Stafford Mayor Leonard Scarcella and Sugar Land Mayor James Thompson.
Sane, a Houston Community College trustee and founder of the festival, also will be on hand at the event, along with several other officials, including Congressman Al Green, Fort Bend County Commissioner Grady Prestage and State Rep. Dora Olivo.
After the parade, several groups will take the stage to entertain event-goers with various cultural performances from countries around the world.
A special children’s activity area, sponsored by McDonald’s will be set up for younger festival goers, and will include clowns, face painting, balloon art, puppetry, goodie bags, misting stations, a bounce house and the Ronald McDonald Shoe Car.
Coordinators expect students from nearly all of the Fort Bend ISD high schools and Stafford Municipal School District schools to play an integral role in the festival.
“It is important that our young people feel part of our international community, sharing their cultures and learning about others,” said Fuentes-Wagner.
Students will take part in opening ceremonies, work as volunteers, and lead activities, including free language and dance lessons.
“This is a learning experience for our kids to be exposed to so many different cultures,” said Olivier.
So far Bush, Hightower, Stafford and Dulles high schools have confirmed their participation, according to coordinators.
Members of the Missouri City Police Department will be on hand to provide kid fingerprinting and the members of the Missouri City Fire Department will provide tours of the City’s fire truck.
In addition to onstage cultural performances, festival goers can browse through an indoor vendor area that will include a variety of arts and crafts and cultural items.
The festival will also feature a range of ethnic foods from local restaurants, including Ethiopian, Indian, Mexican, Chinese, Persian and Pakistani and American foods.
Food tickets will be sold at the ticket booth on entry into the festival.
The IFFB, an all volunteer organization, invites individuals interested in obtaining community service hours and certificates of participation to volunteer their time.
“Hopefully everyone who attends will leave feeling that they have had a wonderful day, and that the world reflected in Fort Bend County is incredible,” said Fuentes-Wagner.
In five years, Olivier hopes to see the festival continue to grow and for more groups to get involved and celebrate the community’s cultural diversity.
Additional sponsors of the festival include Tara Energy, The city of Sugar Land, Danny Nguyen Commercial, Houston Community College, Blue Ribbon Sausage, Sam’s Club-Stafford, BAPS Temple, Madras Pavilion, Udipi Café, Congressman Al Green, FTS Solutions, McDonalds, Fort Bend Chinese American Association and DS Waters.
For more information or to purchase tickets, contact Sylvia Hu at 281-433-4983 or via e-mail at NightofAsia@gmail.com.
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