On Oct. 18, World of Montgomery Festival (WOMF) attendees journeyed through the rich cultures of China, El Salvador, Ethiopia, India, and more. With KID Museum guiding the colorful way through a number of educational and cultural activities, attendees enjoyed an afternoon that tickled both their creativity and wanderlust. Hundreds of these globetrotters joined KID Museum in celebrating Montgomery County’s cultural diversity by visiting the four country tents with their passport in hand. Check out what they found amidst the culture, crafts, and cuisine of the 2015 World of Montgomery Festival.
China
The bright red lanterns adorned throughout the China tent enchanted the WOMF crowds. At the parade, Chinese heritage was also well represented by a number of local community groups committed to countywide service, engagement, and cultural pride.
El Salvador
The El Salvador tent was a colorful and informative display enlivened by the talent of a Salvadoran Band on Stage 2. At 2:00 pm, Chef Rodriguez of Los Cobanos even showcased the preparation of a traditional El Salvadoran dish, papusas. She gave tips and tricks to the KID Museum’s Global Kitchen crowd, even teaching us just the right amount of cheese to add when filling these delectable Salvadoran corn tortillas.
Ethiopia
The Washington D.C. metropolitan area is home to one of the largest and most vibrant communities of Ethiopian diaspora. From the sounds of the Great Ethiopian Cultural Band to the Amharic lessons taught under the country’s WOMF tent, this afternoon’s participants were fascinated by the spirited Ethiopian heritage preserved thousands of miles away from the motherland.
India
Next door to KID Museum’s Global Kitchen, visitors to the India tent enjoyed henna art, also called mehndi in Hindi. Between the crowds swelling around the performances of the Bhangra Punjabi Dance group and the shimmering traditional clothes on display under the country’s tent, the culture of India captivated all WOMF attendees.
With some proudly holding their hand-made cultural masks and others savoring the lingering taste of food cooked from the Global Kitchen, KID Museum was proud to lead an afternoon exploration of global cultures at the 2015 World of Montgomery Festival. By 5:00 pm, a jetlagged WOMF crowd departed to their own communities of Montgomery County, where the richness of our world cultures still await.
By Michelle Byamugisha
