On Saturday, October 5th, the Oxnard community will once again enjoy the opportunity to “share the world” at the 18th Annual Multicultural Festival, in historic Downtown Plaza Park, from 10AM to 6PM. Admission is free.
This year, the festival’s theme is “Many Faces, One Community,” showcasing multiple ethnic groups that represent the diversity of a community as one.
This year, the festival’s theme is “Many Faces, One Community,” showcasing multiple ethnic groups that represent the diversity of a community as one.
The festival will feature live music from Dirty Rice, a seven-piece reggae band from Oxnard, salsa rhythms from Mestizo, and the R&B funk sounds of The Bomb. Dance performances from Jewels of the Nile, Filipino Youth Dance Group, MacKinnon Dance Academy, and more, will round out the entertainment lineup.
Kids and adults can gran their complimentary passport and get ready to travel the globe as the festival welcomes back the ever-popular International Booths. This interactive portion of the festival allows visitors to hop around from one exhibit booth to another and learn fun facts from around the world such as customs and traditions, cultural celebrations, language, food, music, and history. Get your passport stamped at each stop and receive a special prize.
"Every year the International Booths are the highlight of our festival because it gives our community the opportunity to learn about other cultures in a fun and educational way,” said Yadira Viveros, a member of the festival’s planning committee. “What is most amazing to me is to see kids and their parents participating together in our passport activity,” she said. “It’s a wonderful bonding experience for families,” she added.
International Booths scheduled to participate: Chile, Spain, Bolivia, Scotland, Puerto Rico, China, Hawaii, Colombia, Japan, Vietnam, Guatemala, Panama, Jamaica, Philippines, Mexico, the state of Michoacán in Mexico, and the Near East Multicultural Arts Association.
Information and vendor booths, arts & crafts, youth art exhibit and a multitude of family friendly activities will also be on hand. Hungry visitors can choose from a variety of culinary delights including Cajun, Hawaiian, Mexican and Filipino cuisine, as well as crowd favorites like pizza, tamales, snow cones and vegan dishes. The festival will also feature some of the more popular gourmet food trucks such as Cousins Maine Lobster, Sam Choy’s Pineapple Express and Ooh La La Crepes.
The festival is presented by the City of Oxnard’s Community Relations Commission, whose purpose is to identify and advise the City Council on problems of discrimination in the community and to promote better human relations among all city residents.
Multicultural Festival North Stage Entertainment Schedule
- 10:00 am - Opening Ceremonies
- 10:50 am - Port Hueneme Community Stars – Hip Hop Dance
- 11:10 am - GK4 – Youths Performance
- 11:30 am - Zambales Youth Dance Group Performance
- 11:55 am - Hula Halau Na Hale Náauao – Hawaiian Performance
- 12:15 pm - Dirty Rice – Reggae Band
- 1:30 pm - Un Sueno Llamado Colombia - Colombian Performance
- 1:55 pm - Ballet Folklorico Mestizo – Oxnard College Performance
- 2:25 pm - MacKinnon Dance Academy – Scottish Performance
- 2:50 pm - Mestizo – West Coast Salsa- Band
- 3:50 pm - Oxnard College NEMA Assoc.- Middle EasternPerformance
- 4:15 pm - The Youngsters – Classic Rock/ Classic Country Band
- 5:25 pm - Lovie’s Latin Dance Co. - Salsa Performance
- 5:35 pm - The Bomb – R & B, Latin, Funk, Blues, Jazz & Rock - Band
More information on the Oxnard Multicultural Festival is available at the event’s website at oxnardnews.org or oxnardmulticultural.weebly.com
