International Festival announces final registration deadline as May 12

Monday, May 12 is the final deadline for community organizations, vendors and food booths to register for the Ethnic Support Council’s 24th annual International Festival to be held Saturday, June 7 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Cowlitz County Expo Center in Longview. Multicultural entertainment is scheduled at the start of each hour.

International Festival organizer Cindy Lopez Werth said organizations, vendors and food booths that registered by the early April 18 deadline saved on registration fees.

The International Festival is a free family event held each year to celebrate the community’s growing diversity through multicultural entertainment, children’s activities, ethnic food booths, “world market” vendors and community information tables. The Ethnic Support Council and LCC Multicultural Students work together each year to put on the festival.

Werth said registration packets were mailed in early March to previous participants and most have already signed up, but there are usually late registrants every year. As of April 28, three food booths, five “world market” vendors and 18 community organizations had already registered.

“Several application packets were returned as undeliverable due to changes in addresses, so those groups didn’t receive our registration information,” Werth said. “But others received the packets and lost them or they just forgot about registering, which does happen every year. That’s why we put out one more reminder.”

Information booths: Registration fees are now $20 or $30 for community organizations to have information tables if they are not selling anything. The higher fee is for organizations that need to be placed near an electrical outlet. A 6-foot table is provided, but groups can save $5 by providing their own.

Vendors: Registration fees for “world market” vendors selling items from various countries and cultures are $50 for spots with no electricity and $70 with electricity. One 6-foot table is provided.

Food booths: The food booth registration fee is $50. Food booth participants must get temporary food permits from the Cowlitz County Health Department to be allowed to sell at the festival. One 6-foot table can be provided per food vendor if needed.

For more information or to receive a registration packet, call 360-751-4427 or e-mail cindylopezwerth@comcast.net. Registration packets also are available at the Ethnic Support Council office at 311 Oak St. in Kelso between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. weekdays.