Belly dancers perform during Lincoln Land’s 11th annual Multicultural Festival on Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2014. Vendors and performers filled the sidewalks outside A.Lincoln Commons, offering students a chance to learn about cultural opportunities.
SPRINGFIELD — This year’s Multicultural Festival kicked off two hours later than normal to focus activities on the busiest times for the festival, Student Life officials said.
“It’s an attempt to baptizestudents into culture,” said Michelle Burger, the student engagement coordinator.
The 11th annual event started drawing students at 11 a.m. to the sidewalk outside of the A. Lincoln Commons for music, dancing and food. The Festival started at 9 a.m. in previous years.
- The students, faculty and staff of Lincoln Land Community College celebrated its 11th annual Multicultural Fest. (Photo courtesy Jordan Minder and Joseph Hay)
“There was a smaller attendance between 10 and 11, so we cut (the event) to the best time possible,” said Burger. “Attendance is usually better in the evening.”
This year’s Multicultural Festival featured belly dancing, African Banjo, folk dancing and LLCC’s choir.
Additionally, about 36 different groups and cultures were represented at the event. It had Japanese, Chinese, Indian, Mexican and American food, provided by local restaurants AZ-T-ca Mexican Grill, Clay’s, Popeye’s, Bar-B-Que, Gateway to India, Happy Sushi, Holy Land Diner and Hunan Chinese Restaurant.
“I’ve been coming for years,” student Brian Markley said. “It seemed to me that two to four years ago, it was more about the countries. I went this year, and it was all about the vendors.”
“With the shift to the organizations, the event is more geared toward something about students,” said Sharon Stidham, who previously represented Ireland at the event. “Last year, a large number of students would go to a country’s display in a booth and look around for a few minutes then leave. A few of the students would come and ask some questions to learn about the culture, but it was not a majority.”
But despite this, the attendance at this year’s event was consistent with previous years. Burger said there was “a larger number of community members” at about noon.
As part of continual efforts to improve the festival, it was moved outside a few years ago from its venue inside the Trutter Center.
“Compared to the Trutter Center, it’s a lot easier to get community members involved. They don’t have to go completely out of their way,” Burger said. “We attract more students who are coming and going.”
Luckily for the event, it saw warm weather and sunny skies this year.
The multicultural events receive one of the largest budgets from Student Life, with $16,500 allocated in 2014-15. While Burger was unable to give an estimate on the festival’s costs, it primarily goes to the food and entertainment.
“We saved a bundle on entertainment this year,” Burger said. “The stands are all done on a volunteer basis.”
Brennan Stidham can be reached at [email protected] or 217-786-2311.
