FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Dave Amoroso • Ron Sonntag Public Relations
414-354-0200, ext. 108 • dave@rspr.com
MILWAUKEE, WI – Organizers of the 79th annual Holiday Folk Fair International at the State Fair Park Exposition Center, West Allis, Wis., Fri., Nov. 18 – Sun., Nov. 20, 2022, announced that Karen Schmieder will serve as the honorary chairperson of the 2022 event.
“It is a privilege for me to serve in this role for this year’s Holiday Folk Fair International, as I have been participating for more than 60 years,” Schmieder said. “I started dancing at the event when I was three years old with the United Donauschwaben of Milwaukee and have been part of each event since.”
Schmieder has been a performer, dance director, and volunteer for the Donauschwaben. She is a third-generation member of the group, as well as a third generation Folk Fair volunteer, as her grandmother Catherine Kosack and mother Carol Keidl were active event participants, with both also serving as the event’s honorary chairperson. She currently serves on the event’s steering committee, assists in Education Day programming, and helps coordinate the Sunday Children’s Matinee. Her daughter, Kaitlin, is a fourth-generation Folk Fair participant, who helps direct the Donauschwaben children’s group.
In terms of attending Holiday Folk Fair, Schmieder loves to sample new foods, and though she is adventurous when it comes to trying new cuisines, she has a favorite standby – Irish potato soup. “I could eat my way through Folk Fair,” she said. She also said people who attend Folk Fair learn that though they come from different backgrounds, there are similarities between their own and other cultures.
In summarizing what Holiday Folk Fair International means to her, Schmieder said it’s the relationships she’s formed. “When you see the grandparents, parents, and children working side by side, that is wonderful. To have all the nationalities and culture come together under one roof at Holiday Folk Fair is the greatest aspect of the event. Throughout the years, I have made lifelong friendships with members of not only the Donauschwaben group, but with people from many different ethnic groups.”
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 2022 theme, “Celebrate the Culture of Living Heritage,” will allow Fair-goers the opportunity to explore traditions, customs, practices, representations, expressions, knowledge, and skills through the instruments, objects, artifacts, and cultural spaces that communities, groups and, in some cases, individuals recognize as part of their cultural heritage.
Special attractions in 2022 include invited international performers and artisans, photographic exhibits, the Artisan corner, the Dirty Kettle Native American interactive display, the Wisconsin Woodturners, a bonsai exhibit, a Wisconsin Scholastic Chess Federation tournament on Sat., Nov. 19, and an interdenominational religious service Sun., Nov. 20, at 10:30 a.m. in the Coffeehouse.
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, sponsored by Mad City Windows and Baths, where attendees dance and sing along with a variety of musical stylings; 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 presented by Bath Fitter, where cultural artifacts create a unique shopping experience; and the Callen Chef’s Stage featuring local chefs preparing traditional cuisine.
Hours are 2 p.m. – 9 p.m. on Fri., Nov. 18; 10 a.m. – 9 p.m. on Sat., Nov. 19; and 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. on Sun., Nov. 20. In addition, some Folk Fair activities will be shared live via the event’s Facebook page.
Advance tickets are $12 each, with family four-packs for $44. Admission at the gate will be $16 for adults; $8 for children ages 6 to 12; with children five and under admitted at no charge. Those 62 and over will be admitted for $12, and all military personnel with a military ID card will be admitted free.
For more information on the 2022 Holiday Folk Fair International, visit www.folkfair.org or call 414-225-6225.