Directions

Raleigh Convention Center
500 South Salisbury St
Raleigh, NC 27601

---

Tickets

Adults	$7
Seniors (65 and up)	$6
Kids 7-12	$6
Kids 6 and under	free!

Buy tickets in advance and save $1!

---

Things to Do!

Performances

Watch authentic ethnic dances from over 30 different cultures performed on the Main Stage.

Cuisine

Taste your way around the globe with delicious food from our Sidewalk Cafes.

Music

Visit our Biergarten to enjoy international bands and musical performances and dance the night away.

Demonstrations

Learn about traditional arts, crafts and cooking from international teachers.

Exhibits

Stroll through the many Cultural Exhibits to learn about the rich history and traditions of different cultures.

Shopping

Shop the World Bazaars for crafts and items from across the globe.

Kids

Bring the kids to Sophie's Corner for face-painting, storytelling, games and other fun activities.

---

About Us

The International Festival of Raleigh, presented by International Focus, Inc, is an annual celebration of dance, food, and music from around the globe. This event brings over 40 diverse ethnic groups together to share traditions and celebrate their unique differences, while allowing native North Carolinians to discover the world in Raleigh.

International Focus, Inc. is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) organization with the mission to encourage and preserve popular and traditional ethnic cultures, to foster and develop awareness of the broad scope of ethnic backgrounds of all persons, and to promote American citizenship and its ideals among people of all nationalities by cultural educational means.

The first International Festival of Raleigh was held in October of 1986 at the Raleigh Convention Center. It was originally a project of the Sister Cities Association of Raleigh. This year (2009) will mark the 24th annual Festival.

The International Festival has become a key component of the Triangle's cultural and artistic offerings. Activities and exhibits include the main stage with continuous entertainment from local and international dance groups, food booths with culinary offerings from around the world, cultural booths where visitors can learn about different cultures and their traditions, a world market, games from around the world, the Biergarten stage for music, the town square, and ethnic dance lessons and cultural demonstrations.

A Naturalization Ceremony became part of the Festival in 1988 with the help of the Raleigh Woman's Club. The Ceremony continues to be the grand opening of the Festival each year. At the 2008 Festival almost 1,000 new Americans were naturalized.