Plano International Festival draws 11,000 to Haggard Park

The 4th Annual Plano International Festival in Haggard Park celebrated Plano’s rich tapestry of cultures through music, dance, food, and displays. The festival surpassed its goal in attracting a record 11,000 people throughout the day on October 4. “We were thrilled to welcome so many people to this year’s Festival,” said festival president Graciela Katzer. “Our goal was to educate and enlighten as many people as possible about Plano’s many cultures. We expected 10,000 people, so this year was fantastic."

More than 100 cultures were represented through the Festival’s Parade of Nations, food court, on-stage performances, and cultural booths. New this year was an International Art Exhibit on display in the Courtyard Theater, featuring works by local artists representing Austria, Brazil, Denmark, Poland, Puerto Rico, Spain, Sri Lanka, Turkey, and the United States.

The festival’s naturalization ceremony grew in attendance. The 2007 ceremony recognized 50 candidates, while this year, 75 people from over 40 countries were sworn in as new citizens.

Another new feature was a comprehensive program to make the festival a Zero Waste Event. Food court vendors were given 100 percent biodegradable plates, bowls and utensils, and attendees sorted their trash into organic, recyclable and regular trash bins. Over half of all the festival's waste was recycled and composted. (The City of Plano is one of only two cities in Texas with organic waste removal and composting services.)

Among the many cultural experiences were tango lessons, a Korean drum show, German folk dancing, henna painting, and Chinese calligraphy demonstrations. Cuisine and art projects from Thailand, Turkey and Poland, as well as Greece, Korea, and China also made the festival a memorable event. For more information, visit PlanoInternationalFestival.org.

 
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