By Travis Walters
Next Saturday, April 5, the Savannah College of Art and Design will present the 10th Annual International Festival on Broughton Street. The event will shut down Broughton between Lincoln and Abercorn Streets. The festival presents traditional music, dance, art and food for those in attendance and is designed to highlight SCAD’s international art community. SCAD has nearly 9,000 enrolled students from all 50 states and over 90 countries. Ten percent of SCAD’s student body is international. The festivities begin at 11 a.m. and run through 3 p.m. From 1 p.m. until the end of the festival, the dance company Soweto Street Beat will perform. The dance group started in Soweto, Johannesburg, South Africa in 1989, but moved to Atlanta in 1992 and is the only professional South African dance troupe in the United States. The group is a nonprofit organization that travels to teach audiences of varying ages and cultural backgrounds the history of South Africa.
The Orlando reggae group Mystik NRG, which is a returning group from last year’s event, is also set to perform. The group has five members from New York, Jamaica, St. Kitts, Trinidad and Tobago. The group plays many concerts and festivals around the country. Each of the group members has played with many different people over the course of their career. The group has also played at many Bob Marley Reggae Fests hosted by Universal Studios City Walk. A fashion show featuring items from around the globe will also be presented during this time.
The popular event quickly fills up, with hundreds of people in attendance. The lines for food can be arduous, according to students who have attended the event before. Going early, just to get on the street, is advised. Additional performances and events include Moroccan belly dancing, African drummers and a classical Peruvian dance troupe.
Attendees will be able to purchase arts and crafts as well as sample food from other cultures. Sushi-Zen, Taste of India, Carlito’s Mexican Bar and Grill, Casbah Moroccan Restaurant and Middle East Cuisine provide a “Taste of the World,” for festival-goers. Each of the five food vendors have their own station and attendees can move from table to table to sample the cuisine. Food will be provided at a minimal cost, while admission is free and open to the public. The event is sponsored by SCAD’s international student services office, the Intercultural Student Association and Coca-Cola.
Photo credits: Dennis Burnett and Dane Sponberg, SCAD College Photography
