The 9th annual event at Salem`s Riverfront Park was recently voted the best cultural heritage event by the Oregon Festivals and Events Association.
(SALEM) - Always held in the last weekend of June in Salem`s beautiful Riverfront Park, World Beat is a good way to kick off a family weekend adventure and educate children in the meaning of cultural tolerance.
Planning and strategy meetings have been taking place for months, and with a crowd of 45k last year, they are expecting more this year because of the event`s growing popularity.
World Beat celebrates the cultures, customs, traditions and heritage that makes Oregon an inviting place that people want to visit, and experience.
Music, food, dance, arts and crafts of people from throughout the world are showcased in five themed world villages.
World Beat features more than 125 performances, workshops and demonstrations ranging from costumed parades to Gaelic language workshops.
The featured event, Dragon Boat Races will be held this Sunday.
A lot of preparatory work is underway and it takes hundreds of man-hours to bring the event together. In fact, organizers say it starts way before the weekend of the event.
The Salem World Beat Festival is held Saturday, June 24th, and Sunday, June 25th. Saturday kicks off with the Children's Parade at 10:00 AM, and goes through 11:00 PM. On Sunday, the hours are 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM.
Watch the video report by Kevin Montgomery below
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Salem`s World Beat Festival, Crowning Event for the Start of our Summer Season (VIDEO)Salem-News.com