1. 1st prize: $50 gift certificate to India Garden: claimed by Roger Nelson.
2. 2nd prize: 512MB iPod Shuffle: Cecilia and Joe Szurszewski
3. 3rd prize: 256MB Sandisk Cruzer thumbdrive: Erin Munson

If you have not yet claimed your prize, please reply to the emails that was sent out and arrange for a date and time to have it picked up.

“One World, Many Cultures”

On Friday, April 11, and Saturday, April 12, 2008 the Rochester International Association presents its 33rd World Festival at Mayo High School, 1430 SW 11 Av, Rochester, Minnesota.

The Festival opens Friday evening at 7 PM with a colorful show of performances including dancing, singing, and music by performers in their native costumes from around the world. Admisson is $8 for adults, $4 for students and children, $20 for a family pass.

On Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., the Festival features a full day of activities including the Parade of Nations, dozens of Cultural Displays from around the world representing the rich diversity of our city and region, an International Buffet of Ethnic Foods in the cafeteria, continuous music and dance performances, a new Market Place, and a wide variety of children’s activities. Children’s area runs from 10am until 2pm. Admission is free.

The World Festival began as a bicentennial event in 1976, with Rochester Kiwanis as sponsors. Now in it’s 33rd year of celebrating the cultural diversity of the Rochester area, it has become the largest multi-cultural event in Minnesota south of the Twin Cities, attracting thousands of visitors and hundreds of participants.

• Registration form (download PDF).
• New! RIA Newsletters - see our current World Festival 2008 edition newsletter.
• World Festival 2008 Information
• View our official World Festival poster
• View the Children’s area activities map
• Post Bulletin announcement

Place: Mayo High School Auditorium
When: Friday, April 11, 7pm
Artistic Director and Master of Ceremonies: John Berquist

Performers

Admisson is $8 for adults, $4 for students and children, $20 for a family pass. There will be a reception after the show to meet the performers.

1. $50 dinner certificate to an ethnic restaurant (TBD)
2. iPod Shuffle 512MB for your PC/Mac
3. 256MB external USB thumbdrive for your computer

Restrictions apply: Current RIA board members are exempt from the prize drawing. Participants must fill out the form in full. Minimum donation is $10. A receipt will be handed out to the participant which will need to be shown in order to claim the prize. If any winner is unable to claim the prize by the next week following the drawing, an additional drawing will be made at our next board meeting, and the winner will be notified using the contact information supplied to us.

UPDATE (Sep 13, 2007): Please re-download the newsletter. Made changes to indicate the results of the annual elections board meeting held on September 11, 2007.

Plans are under way to start on the fall newsletter. It would be great to get it out before activities start in September.

RIA will have the annual board meeting Tuesday Sept 11 at the new IMAA office. We need to find candidates for members of the board.

The INTERNATIONAL LUNCH program will start on Sept. 12 with our first speaker Roy Watson who will talk about his world travel experiences.

The annual ACHLA LATINO FESTIVAL will be held on Sept. 22 from 1PM-7PM at Silver Lake East Side Shelter with music, games, information, food. Organizations (RIA) are invited to partiicipate (no fee. RIA should have a table.  Miguel Valdez and Marcella Nixon are involved). For information contact Pilar Duque, 273-3953 or pduqueroch@yahoo.com; to participate contact Miguel Valdez valdez.Miiguel@co.olmsted.mn.us.

– Phyllis Layton

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When: The forum is 7 p.m. Friday and the film is 6 p.m. Sunday.

Where: Autumn Ridge Church, 3611 Salem Road S.W., Rochester.

Admission: Free to both events.