International Festival Features Local Artists And Vendors

International Festival, an annual free, day-long festival that celebrates the cultural heritage in the community, returns to Overture Center for 2019 on Saturday, Feb. 23., from 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

International Festival | Saturday, Feb. 23, from 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. | Overture Center | FREE

Celebrate the rich cultural heritage in our community and enjoy more than 30 free performances throughout Overture by artists who call Dane County home. Indulge in cuisines from around the world ($5-$10), browse stunning arts and crafts available for purchase and learn about the many local businesses with global connections. See attachment for full schedule and list of vendors. Select performances will be livestreamed to Overture's Facebook page. This will provide an opportunity for those unable to attend to see some of the performers and learn more about International Festival.

New to the festival, attendees are invited to contribute to Overture's Community Mandala, presented by Sarvodaya USA. Attendees will select a natural found material to help create an earth mandala, a series of circular and geometric shapes that symbolize the universe. The Community Mandala Project was started as an awareness campaign by Sarvodaya USA, a Madison based sister organization to the Sarvodaya Shramadana Movement: founded by Nobel Peace Prize Nominee Dr. A.T. Ariyaratne in 1958.

International Festival is supported by Madison Community Foundation, CUNA Mutual Foundation, Friends of Overture, Ho-Chunk Gaming, and Dane Arts with additional funds from the Endres Mfg. Company Foundation, the Evjue Foundation Inc., the charitable arm of The Capital Times, the W. Jerome Frautschi Foundation, and the Pleasant T. Rowland Foundation.