Wintry mix spreads across Minnesota

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If you grew up in Minnesota or had kids in school in Minnesota, you may remember the Festival of Nations. Formerly organized by the International Institute of Minnesota, it ran nearly 90 years and was the Midwest’s oldest and longest-running annual multicultural celebration. In 2019, when the festival was last held, it drew 30,000 people to the RiverCentre in St. Paul. 

Due to the pandemic and rising costs, the event came to an end. It’s now back this weekend with a new name, the International Festival of Minnesota, and a more modern feel. 

“We're going to expand that definition of what makes us and who we are as cultures,” the festival’s executive director Steve Heckler told MPR News host Emily Bright. “We're in a different place, and we should be. We're moving forward.”

There are some traditions that will carry over from the former festival, including the passport. Attendees can get a festival passport and get them stamped at 27 different exhibits. 

Overall, 67 nations and ethnic communities will be represented at the festival, which includes food, exhibits and performances. 

The theme of the event this year is “Imagine IF… We All Belonged. One festival. Many cultures. A shared home.” Heckler said that after the surge of federal agents in the state, he hopes the festival will bring people together.  

“The takeaway is that we become more familiar with our community, and I think in a positive way. And I think by doing so, we become a stronger community, not a weaker one,” he said. 

More than 5,000 students from across Minnesota and three additional states will be attending the festival, primarily on Friday. Advance 

 are available until Thursday and are $21 for ages 15 and over and $10 for ages 8-14. Day-of tickets are available at the RiverCentre box office.  

Metro Transit will be providing free bus and light rail rides for festival attendees. 

Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation between Heckler and MPR News host Emily Bright.

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Formerly known as the Festival of Nations, which was last held in 2019, the renamed celebration returns to the RiverCentre in St. Paul April 10-11.

Formerly known as the Festival of Nations, which was last held in 2019, the newly-named celebration returns to the RiverCentre in St. Paul April 10-11. 

International Festival of Minnesota revives tradition of multicultural celebration

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