VCU to host third annual Grace Street Festival

By Michael Ford
University News Services

The cultural diversity of Virginia Commonwealth University and the city of Richmond will be showcased this weekend on screen, on stage and in the street with a mix of film, art, music and food.

VCU’s School of World Studies and Grace Street merchants will co-host the third annual Grace Street Festival from noon to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 15, 2005, in the 900 block of West Grace Street. The event is free and open to the public. West Grace Street, between Shafer and Harrison streets, will be closed to vehicles during the festival.

The festival will feature a variety of groups from the Spanish-speaking world, including Mexico, Colombia, the Dominican Republic and Spain. There will be live performances of the Mexican hat dance; the Cumbia, a traditional folk dance of Colombia; and the Merengue. There also will be Italian and Indian music and a Middle Eastern dance group.

A variety of international foods will be available at the festival. Vendors will offer Cuban, Mexican, French and Iranian food. Nearby restaurants will offer Italian, Asian, Lebanese and vegan fare.

R. McKenna Brown, Ph.D., director of the School of World Studies, said the culture, cuisine and arts showcased will provide relevance to what School of World Studies faculty and students do inside the classroom.

“The festival will provide cultural texture,” Brown said. “People can realize they do not need to leave Richmond to sample the culture and cuisine from other parts of the world.

“With many cultures living closer together, more than ever it is important to understand the global world and learn to interact with and embrace and the variety it offers,” Brown said. “This festival allows us to appreciate the world’s diversity.”

A special highlight of the festival is the fall 2005 VCU International Student Film Festival, co-sponsored with the School of the Arts’ Department of Photography and Film. Patrons will be able to view student films from around the world. The films from Germany, India, Israel, Peru, and elsewhere will be screened at the Grace Street Theatre, located at 934 W. Grace St.

There will also be activities for children. The festival also will have a global quiz game with prizes.

The School of World Studies offers majors in anthropology, French, geography, German, international studies, religious studies and Spanish.

For more information about the Grace Street Festival, call (804) 827-3403.