World of Montgomery Festival

Montgomery County, MD thirty years ago (when I lived here), as I recall, was not a very culturally diverse place. However, Montgomery County, MD today, is a melting pot of culture and diversity, with the largest immigrant populations being from China, India, Ethiopia and El Salvador. The World of Montgomery Festival, an annual event, celebrated that diversity today by sharing food, music, dance, and art from these countries. 

The Kids International Discovery Museum created an "International Village" with an interactive experience for the children in the heart of Wheaton/Silver Spring. The event was kicked off with a Parade of Nations leading to the area where large tents were set up, each representing a different country. The kids were given a passport which they had to complete to get a prize, and in the passport was a Scavenger Hunt, where there were pictures of items you had to find and identify . Also included were questions whose answers could be found in posted country data. Lastly, passports were stamped as each child entered the country tent. Even the adults could be found getting in on the action.

Inside each tent, the countries were well represented by artifacts, pictures, music, and people in native costumes. Some tents had fun, hands-on activities like coloring, painting and calligraphy. I think the kids liked the India tent the best because they got to try on the saris and turbans.

 

Chinese Art

Indian Treasures

El Salvadorean Art

There were stages on each end of the complex, which offered non-stop performances throughout the day. Women in brightly colored saris, little Chinese girls with frilly dresses and pompoms in their hair, and Ethiopian men and women dressed in native garb all entertained us with their traditional forms of dance, in addition to story tellers and musical bands. The perimeter of the area was lined with restaurants, food stands and food trucks selling popular dishes from the various countries. There were chef demonstrations from each country and even a Pupusa Cook-off (traditional Salvadorean food).

The weather was perfect for the event and I think fun was had by all. I look forward to going back next year.

Kid's View: "I thought it was fun because it was kind of interactive, they were giving out free stuff and there was a scavenger hunt with a prize at the end. The prize wasn't that great, it looked like something you got out of a cereal box, but we had fun doing the hunt anyway. In India we got to try on Indian clothes (and I look really cute in a sari) and my mom forced us to take pictures. I ate Chinese food and my cousins ate Salvadorean food. I think I would go back next year if my mom wanted to go back."