ROANOKE, Va. – The Local Colors Festival is back this Saturday starting at 11 a.m. at Elmwood Park, and this year’s featured country is South Korea.
It’s in honor of Roanoke and Wonju celebrating 60 years as a Sister City, which means they participate in cultural, educational, medical and artistic exchanges. A group from Wonju will attend the Local Colors Festival, where they’ll participate in KPOP dances and there’s even a Wonju Traditional Dance Team.
In addition to South Korea, about 60 other countries will be represented by people and organizations at the festival. Some of the other countries represented include Kenya, Colombia and India.
There will be plenty of international cuisines you can try. There are even performances and arts and crafts.
“It really shows the diversity in the area but also a place where you can experience different cultures without having to get on a plane, and it reminds us that we have a shared humanity and that we can enjoy and experience other people who may have different traditions than us, but we can learn about that and help build a better understanding,” said Executive Director of Local Colors of Western Virginia, Lisa Spencer.
Local Colors of Western Virginia has hosted this event for more than 30 years. It expects more than a thousand people to attend.
With the recent Pro-Palestinian protests, you might be concerned about safety.
The organization said there will be private security and police in the area. It also said it has a non-political activism policy for all of its events.
“Regardless of what conflicts or chaos is going on in the world, the Local Colors Festival is a place where people can come together, where you can enjoy other cultures and put the politics and other things aside,” said Spencer.
Franklin Road between Williamson Road and Jefferson Road will be closed. You can park at the Williamson Road Garage, and there are plenty of spaces at the Elmwood Garage.