Friday, April 9, marked the 19th annual Festival of Cultures. Each year, the International Relations Club expects thousands of visitors and hundreds of participants. This year wasn't any different with more than 3500 visitors.

Participants sponsored culturally related food booths, commercial booths and cultural displays. Each participant promoted cultural diversity and education by being a part of the Festival. Throughout the day, the IRC provided entertainment for visitors with student performances, musical groups and dancers.

The 1999 entertainment line-up featured Indigenous, a Native American blues rock group from Marty, S.D. Other performers include Jackie Rae Bird, a Native American traditional dancer, Karrulacta, an Andean woodwind group from Minneapolis, and Angie Rolling, a South American folk dancer. Angie is a standard in the Festival of Cultures's entertainment lineup and always puts on a great performance. Karrulacta returned for their second performance at the Festival. Like all the entertainers, Karrulacta was well-received and the IRC was glad to have them back.

No matter what one's taste in music or food, the Festival of Cultures had plenty to offer. Food booths ranged from German and Thai to French and Egyptian and everything in between.

Sponsors

Daktronics,Inc., Brookings
KQ102 / Depot Radio, Brookings
Larson Manufacturing, Brookings
First National Bank, Brookings
Einspahr Auto Plaza, Brookings
T.F. Martin, attorney, Brookings
Merchant JT&S, Brookings
Taco John's, Brookings
Toshiba America Information Systems, Mitchell
Sherwood and Elizabeth Berg, Fountain Hills, AZ
Wayne Hawley, Brookings
Dee Hopkins, Brookings
Marilyn Swanson, Brookings