Clarkston Culture Fest celebrates the City’s extraordinary Cultural Diversity on Sat, Apr 22nd 10 a

Now in its 5th year

the annual Clarkston Culture Fest

celebrates the City’s extraordinary Cultural Diversity on Sat, Apr 22nd 10 am – 4 pm:

Featuring a Culture Village tent; Main Stage and other Performance series; the Fun Zone for Kids; Refuge Coffee's 5 K & Family Fun Run;

as well as international foods and vendors, special exhibit & Sunday panel and much more -

New this year is an exhibit and panel "Children are the Future" and "Performances on the Porch" series at Christ Community AME Church Adams Hall next to Refuge Coffee,

1/2 block up from Market Street's "Festival Mile"

The Festival is free and open to the public!

If you haven't been to the charming, diverse and welcoming city of Clarkston, GA, known for its small town atmosphere and big heart (located off Ponce de Leon and Market Streets 30021 between Stone Mountain and Decatur and adjacent to Tucker), Sat, April 22nd is the day! So mark your calendars and come join the fun and education of the city’s phenomenal Clarkston Culture Fest!

Now in its 5th year, with a wide variety of family-oriented and culturally diverse events, the festival takes place on Saturday, April 22nd from 10 am – 4 pm. In conjunction with the festival, there will be two runs: an 9 am 5 K followed by a 10:15 am "family fun run," both sponsored by Refuge Coffee.

Celebrating the vibrancy and richness of Clarkston’s exceptional cultural diversity, Clarkston’s Culture Fest has as its mission to “Educate, Appreciate and Celebrate.” Don’t miss the Festival’s Official Ribbon Cutting Opening on Market Street at 10:45 am and follow the childrens' parade to the opening of the Children are the Future exhibit to be hosted by the Christ Community AME Church at its Adams Center, 4154 Ponce de Leon Ave in Clarkston, GA 30021. The ribbon cutting will take place at the city center at the corner of Market Street and Montreal Road (Clarkston, GA 30021) which for that day will be “festival mile.”

Live performances on the Main Stage will feature noted performers ranging from the multi-cultural to music and dance of all varieties. An extravaganza of globalism, the festival emphasizes the rich cultural traditions of Clarkston as well as fun, games, treats and prizes for families and kids of all ages with some other surprises! A smaller "Performances on the Porch" performance series and in the Children Are the Future exhibit space can be seen at the Adams Center from 11 am - 4 pm as well.

In its 2nd year the festival's Culture Village showcases some of the city’s more than 60 different cultures and languages. Some of these may represent the refugees and residents from such cultures and countries as Somalia, Nepal, Burma, Bhutan, Gambia, Ethiopia, Vietnam, Korea, all over Africa, Sudan and more. Learn about these countries’ respective foods, clothing, games, music, art, dance, history and traditions at booths under a tent set up specially for this purpose.

A new addition to the festival program is the Children are the Future exhibit to be held at the Christ Community AME Church’s Adams Center located between Refuge Coffee and the Christ Community AME Church sponsored by Soka Gakkai International-USA (www.SGI-Atlanta.org).The exhibit will be open from 11 am - 4 pm Saturday, April 22nd and for a panel discussion on Sunday, April 23rd from 1 pm - 4 pm. Sunday's panel will explore the themes of the exhibit and the dignity of human life with moderator State Representative Karla Drenner with a panel of illustrious speakers and child advocates. The panel is free and open to the public and there will be a reception both preceding and following the panel.

A special Fun Zone for Kids will provide super fun and entertaining activities such as face/nail painting, henna, hair braiding, inflatable bouncy castles, photos ops, carnival games and more! Local vendors will have their wares for sale and will sell food and drink. A shuttle will provide access to the festival from designated parking areas.

Known as the "Ellis Island of the South," the City of Clarkston is a Sanctuary City with more countries and languages represented within its one mile by one mile (excluding annexation) parameters than the entire city of Manhattan, according to a New York Times reporter If you are interested in participating as a sponsor, vendor, caterer, performer, volunteer or in any other capacity, to sign up for the race or find out more, email: clarkstonfestival@gmail.com or call (404) 292-5686 ext. 239.

The Festival is supported generously by its sponsors: Platinum Sponsors: Friends of Refugees, the City of Clarkston; Gold Sponsors: Care SourceGeorgia Piedmont; Silver Sponsors: Christ Community AME Church, the Clarkston International Bible Church; Bronze Sponsors: Center for Pan Asian Community Services (CPACS); K.D. Moore Community Development; Thrifttown; and Supporters: Clarkston Community Center, Kroger and others - still pouring in with their support for which the festival is most grateful.

For more about the festival or to register for the runs, go to: www.clarkstonculturefest.org. Enjoy Clarkston's own miracle mile on Saturday, April 22nd and panel on Sunday, April 23rd and join the Clarkston Culture Fest as it celebrates Clarkston's own very unique cultural melting pot in all its glory!

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Cathy H. Burroughs lives in Clarkston, GA 30021 on Clarkston Lake and Crystal Pond across from Milam Park and just loves it. She writes frequently for The Aquarius. Thank you, Editor/Publisher Don Martin for all your support in the extreme!

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