Events, Programs & Services - International Street Festival

 
General Information
The International Street Festival (also known as ISF or Street Fest) was created in 1999 and is an annual event that promotes internationalization and cultural awareness within the Athens community.  The Festival is student and family friendly and boasts an attendance of 3,000 – 5,000 visitors each year.  Various UGA student groups and community organizations host exciting cultural displays and performances throughout the Festival which occurs in downtown Athens each spring.  Street Fest is sponsored by International Student Life as well generous contributions from the Office of the President (UGA), R.E.M., Allison Krache, and the UGA Residence Hall Association, Department of University Housing in 2007. 

Host a Street Fest Display
Table displays for the International Street Festival typically come from registered UGA international and multinational student organizations as well as interested community members.  All displays must incorporate a heavy international/cultural component and/or serve as a financial sponsor for the event in order to participate.  Final authorization of groups hosting table displays is made by the Street Fest Planning Committee and ISL staff members.  Contact the ISL Office for more information concerning deadlines and how to register your group, country, organization, or sponsoring agency for a table. 
 
Perform at the International Street Festival
Many international groups and organizations present exciting cultural performances at the Street Festival each year.  Past acts have included Korean drumming, Brazilian martial arts, African dance, Bluegrass music, flamenco dancing, demonstrations of salsa and meringue, individual soloists and artists, Chinese lion dances, international fashion shows, International story telling, Korean martial arts, and belly dancing. 

As mentioned previously, all aspects of the International Street Festival are free and open to the public.  Due to the nature of this popular event as a free festival, ISL staff seeks groups and organizations that are willing to share their international talents with the Athens community at no cost to the Festival.  If your group or organization is interested in performing for this year’s Street Fest, please contact the ISL Office for more information.  Final authorization of groups performing is made by the Street Fest Planning Committee and ISL staff members. 

Sponsor ISL’s International Street Festival
Two of the distinguishing characteristics of the International Street Festival includes not only our international theme, but also our strong commitment to the Athens community to make each and every aspect of this event free to the public.  We have been able to achieve this objective since the Festival’s inception due to the generous support of various departments within the University of Georgia as well as local businesses, organizations, and Athens community members each year.  For a complete list of our wonderful sponsors and donors from last year’s Festival, click here. If your business or organization would like to help support the International Street Festival, please contact the ISL Office for more information. 

Student Leadership & Volunteering for Street Fest
The ISL Office needs creative and energetic students to help with the planning and coordination of the Street Festival each year.  The planning process starts one year in advance of the Festival and the student planning meetings typically begin in the late Fall / early spring semester each year.  ISL is looking for students who are interested in serving as either a general member or as the committee chairperson for any of the following Street Fest Planning Committees:  

• Fundraising (helps raise funds as well as give-away items for the Festival)
• Advertising (helps create & implement an advertising plan and marketing strategies for the event)
• Performances (recruits all performance groups for the day and provides support for stage management during the event)
• Organizations (works directly with all organizational/community displays and serves as a liaison between the ISF planning committee and the hosts for each display)
• Children's Corner & Children’s Activities (coordinates the Children’s Corner at the Festival including organizing activities for participants throughout the day)

For more information concerning the role of each committee or to sign up to volunteer, please contact the International Student Life Office.