International Festival Davis

The 10th anniversary of International Festival is coming on October 4.

For a decade, I-Fest has celebrated the diversity of our region and this year, the broadcast will feature over 20 performances from artists who represent cultures from around the world and live locally. I-House Director Shelly Gilbride explains, “I-House is focusing efforts on antiracism. This amazing tradition of I-Fest has always celebrated ‘unity in diversity’ as the slogan says, and this year we are intentionally showcasing, uplifting, and celebrating cultures and people that are outside the Western European frame that often dominates public space, airwaves, and art. Drumming, dance, music – these are ways to bring people together, alleviate stress and share in humanity in every culture, and we are lucky to have such incredible cultural assets in our local community. That is something to celebrate and cherish, especially when the pandemic and the divisive political climate is keeping people apart.”

I-House staff and volunteers have been working hard to bring the essence of the in-person festival to the virtual event on the internationalhousedavis.org website. The broadcast is free to watch on October 4th with no registration necessary. Instead of booths in the park, I-House is creating a “Culture Commons” on their website. It will be a searchable directory of the cultural groups in this region with online profiles and photos. Joining the Culture Commons is free for local cultural groups and non-profit organizations that support cultural preservation, continuation, and practice. The Culture Commons will serve as a lasting repository of the wealth of cultural assets in our region. I-House has been able to pivot to a virtual festival with support from the California Arts Council and the City of Davis Arts and Cultural Affairs Program.