Cultural Festivals

Cultural festivals have long been an integral part of a community’s identity and cultural infrastructure. They date back to at least the fifth century b.c.e. in Athens, Greece, where art and music shows would accompany the Olympic Games. They have been around ever since, foster a sense of community pride, promote community volunteerism, strengthen tradition and values, and are viewed by many as a source of economic growth and development.

Typically, festivals involve a theme, such as music, theater, dance, arts and crafts, literature, or film. However, some festivals are much broader in nature and embody many themes. Festivals can be relatively small affairs, such as the folk festivals one might find in rural communities, or very large, international events of relatively lengthy duration. One such ...