[ENGL 5095]

Memo
To: From: Date: Re: Professor Rentz Pauline Hothaus January 21, 2014 Memo Report on International Festivals

Cincinnati has a rich culture that can be seen in glimpses from our various festivals. Unfortunately, we dont have a single festival that brings all cultures together, but we do have many cultural festivals throughout the year that celebrate diversity in Cincinnati. The purpose of this memo is to report on some of the larger cultural festivals we already have, list some of the events that draw people in, and find possible contacts for a larger festival showcasing all of Cincinnatis diversity. A secondary purpose is to speculate on some of the cultures within Cincinnati that are not quite as celebrated. Oktoberfest Oktoberfest is a festival that takes place every year at the end of September to showcase Cincinnatis German heritage and traditions. Information for Oktoberfest can be found at http://www.oktoberfestzinzinnati.com/. Attractions. Some of the main attractions of the festival are a daschund race called Running of the Weiners, a parade in which German-Americans wear the traditional vestments, a beer barrel roll, a Beer Stein race, the worlds largest chicken dance, and other traditional German entertainment. Dining. Specific vendor information is not available at this time, but some foods that are often served at Oktoberfest include sauerkraut, schnitzel, pretzels, strudel, cream puffs, goetta, and, of couse, copious amounts of beer. Contact. The Cincinnati Regional Chamber plans Oktoberfest. They can be contacted through their email, info@cincinnatichamber.com. Midwest Black Family Reunion The Midwest Black Family Reunion is a family-focused event that aims to celebrate Cincinnatis African American culture. The event has been held annually the third weekend of August since 1989. The events website is http://www.midwestbfrc.com/. Attractions. The Midwest Black Family Reunion hosts a targeted job fair, a parade, an R&B concert, and a Gospel concert. Dining. The vendor information is not available at this time and I have no personal experience to speak from. Contact. The event producer is Cassandra Robinson who can be contacted through email at casscan@fuse.net or called at (513)-659-4216. Cincinnati Salsa Festival Salsa Fest is a Latin festival that Cincinnati has held in the past to celebrate Latin culture within Cincinnati. It is hosted by Media Latina (http://www.medialatina.net/index.html), the main source for Latin-related events in the Tri-State. This festival is usually held at

Sawyer Point during the middle of the summer. Because it is not festival season, and Media Latinas website is outdated, there is no current information on the attractions and dining available (though salsa dancing is sure to be an integral part of this festival). However, they do provide some great contacts for the Latin community at http://www.medialatina.net/directory.html. Panegyri Greek Festival The Panegyri Greek Festival is held annually by the Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church at the end of June and showcases the traditional Greek Orthodox culture of Cincinnati. Their website is http://www.holytrinity.oh.goarch.org/92.html. Attractions. Some of the main attractions of the Greek Festival are folk dancers in traditional Greek clothes, a raffle, a Greek marketplace, and carnival rides. Dining. The food is probably the main attraction of the Greek festival. They serve gyros, slouvaki, moussaka, Serbian kebabs, kataifi, galaktobouriko, pasta flora, and several variations of baklava. They usually have variations of Greek wines. Contact. The churchs phone number is (513)-591-0030. Celtic Festival The Cincinnati Celtic Festival is held annually in Washington Park and celebrates the Celtic heritage of Cincinnati. Celtic includes Ireland, Scotland, Isle of Man, Cornwall, Wales, Spain (Galicia), and France (Brittany), though the event seems to have a heavier focus in Ireland. The website that this festival uses is http://www.cincinnaticelticfest.com/about.html. Attractions. Attractions of the Celtic festival include a long list of Celtic music and dancers, Tarot card readings, Irish artists, and Irish authors. Dining. The attendees of the Celtic Festival eat traditional Celtic food, such as Sheppards pie, sausage, and fired potatoes as well as carnival food such as funnel cakes and fried PB&J. Contact. The contact for this festival is listed as the Washington Park Restoration LLC. Their phone is (513)-621-4400 and their email is talktous@3cdc.org. However, The Friendly Sons of Saint Patrick Foundation is a main contributor and can be reached at P.O. Box 9085, Cincinnati, OH 45209-0085. Judging from this information, some of the most important components of cultural festivals are music, dancing, clothing, food, and traditional beverages. Some cultures that do not seem to be included in the major cultural festival circuit are Asian, African, Pacific Island, Native American, and some European cultures. This is obviously a fairly extensive list, but based on information from http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/39/3915000.html, the Asian culture makes up 1.8% of our population and Latino makes 2.8%. My suggestion would be to focus on these two cultures to make sure they are fully represented in the festival, especially focusing on the different countries that comprise the overall umbrella of Asian or Latino.