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The Westfield Wheaton Mall parking lot came alive today with the sights and sounds of cultures from around the globe. Ethiopian stilt walkers mingled with Indian dancers. A Chinese dragon dipped and swirled alongside Salvadorians in colorful native dress.

The third annual World of Montgomery Festival, organized by KID Museum, was a celebration of the world’s diversity through music, dance, craft, and of course, food.

Children who stopped by KID Museum’s tables could see kites from around the world, make a kite of their own, and construct a dancing dragon Draw Bot. In the Spice Tent, kids made tortillas from scratch and sniffed different spices—watch out for the white pepper!

The festival focused on the four nations with the largest immigrant populations in Montgomery County—China, El Salvador, India and Ethiopia. Visitors partook in an Ethiopian coffee ceremony, learned how to write Chinese characters, and explored Indian and Salvadoran artifacts. There were Chinese Sword Dances, Ethiopian drumming, and the Parade of Cultures, which brought all the nations together in a jubilant display of costume, music and dance.