Holiday Folk Fair International Features Special Events and Activities

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Dave Amoroso • Ron Sonntag Public Relations
414-354-0200, ext. 108 • dave@rspr.com

MILWAUKEE, WI – Various special events and activities will be featured during the 76th annual Holiday Folk Fair International, America’s premiere multi-cultural festival, Fri., Nov. 22 – Sun., Nov. 24, 2019, at the State Fair Park Exposition Center in West Allis, Wis.

For the 30th consecutive year, the annual “Cultural Awareness Program” on Nov. 22, will allow more than 3,500 fourth through eighth grade students and teachers an opportunity to personally experience global connections through ethnic displays, workshops, mini language and genealogy classes, exhibits and demonstrations, music and dance performances, storytelling, food sampling, and a marketplace.

Approximately 200 individuals will accept the rights and responsibilities of American citizenship by participating in the Folk Fair’s annual Naturalization Ceremony on Nov. 22, at 2:30 p.m.

The Oscar Mayer Wienermobile will make an appearance at Folk Fair on Sat., Nov. 23, with the 27-ft. long hot dog on wheels to be parked outside the West Entrance of expo center between 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Folk Fair attendees will be able to take photos next to and inside the vehicle as well as receive a   wiener whistle.

The Wisconsin Scholastic Chess Federation will conduct a tournament on Nov. 23, with individual trophies given to the top five players in each division, team trophies presented in three classes, and medals given to all participants. The first round will commence at 11:00 a.m., with the awards ceremony scheduled for 4:30 p.m. The fee is $10 per player by 11 p.m. on Nov. 14, $20 by Nov. 20 at 11 p.m., and $20 for on-site registration by 10:30 a.m. Players can register at www.wisconsinscholasticchess.org, with registration and payment also available at the event.

An interdenominational religious service that brings a variety of ethnic groups together will be held Nov. 24, at 10:30 a.m. in the Coffeehouse and is open to the public.

Presented by the Milwaukee Public Museum on the Move, the organization will host an archaeology-themed program all three days of the event, with artifacts from cultures around the world available for handling and interaction. A component of the program will be a hands-on activity titled “The Artifact vs. Specimen Challenge,” where participants learn the difference between the two. For example, an artifact is a cultural object that is made or shaped by people, while a specimen is naturally-made, like a fossil.

A program of the International Institute of Wisconsin (IIW), Holiday Folk Fair International celebrates the cultural heritage of the people living in southeastern Wisconsin. The 2019 theme, “Celebrate the Culture of Language – Indigenous and Heritage,” will allow Fair-goers the opportunity to explore how the language of those from around the world shape how they communicate and what they share with the next generation.

Special attractions in 2019 include invited international performers and artisans, photographic exhibits, the Artisan corner, a display of traditional apparel from different cultures, the Kohl’s Color Wheels display, the Dirty Kettle Native American interactive display, a Milwaukee Public Museum display, the Wisconsin Woodturners, and a bonsai exhibit.

The three-day event features the All Nations Theater with traditional music and dance, the World Café offering traditional dishes, the International Stage where young people perform their ethnic dances, the Tanzhauz where attendees dance and sing along with a variety of musical styling’s, the Coffee House where patrons enjoy a beverage and baked goods while listening to talented musicians, Heritage Lane with unique traditions and customs through interactive exhibits, the International Bazaar where cultural artifacts create a unique shopping experience, and the Chef’s Stage featuring local chefs preparing traditional cuisine.

Hours on Fri., Nov. 22 are 2 p.m. – 9 p.m.; 10 a.m. – 9 p.m. on Sat., Nov. 23; and 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. on Sun., Nov. 24.

Advance tickets can be purchased for $10 through Thursday, Nov. 21, at the International Institute of Wisconsin, 1110 N. Old World Third St., Suite 420 in Milwaukee; from all participating ethnic groups; and by phone (414-225-6225 or 1-800-FAIR-INTL); fax (414-225-6235); or on-line at www.folkfair.org. In addition to the individual tickets, family four-packs are available for $36.

Admission at the gate will be $14 for adults; $8 for children ages 6 to 12; children under the age of five will be admitted at no charge. Those 62 and over will be admitted for $10, and all military personnel with a military ID card will be admitted free.

For more information on the 2019 Holiday Folk Fair International, visit www.folkfair.org or call 414-225-6225.