Hickory – The City of Hickory Community Relations Council (CRC) will host the Hickory Multicultural Festival on Saturday, April 27, from 4-7 p.m. in downtown Hickory.

The event will bring the community together and celebrate our differences by sharing the art, music, dance, food, and other aspects of the many cultures represented in Hickory. Enjoy a full afternoon of entertainment and education from various groups.

The festival kicks off at 4 p.m. with the Hickory High School Marching Band Drumline and opening comments from CRC members on Union Square. The CRC will then present the annual Human Relations Awards and recognize this year’s honorees at 4:30 p.m.

Cultural dancers and musicians will perform at different times on Union Square. Latin and Hispanic folk dancing will be presented by Adela Jimenez & Company at 4:45 p.m. and by J Paz at 5:15 p.m. The Ridgeview Sliders will take center stage to demonstrate soul line dancing at 5:45 p.m. Dahlia (Nra Hli Lab) will showcase Hmong dancing at 6:15 p.m. Italian musician and singer known by the stage name Megviolin will perform at 6:45 p.m.

Throughout the festival, food trucks will be stationed in the Lowes Foods City Park parking lot and a variety of vendors, resources, and local organizations will have booths set up under The Sails on the Square.

“The inaugural Multicultural Festival is finally here, and the Community Relations Council is excited to announce it will happen rain or shine this year. Everyone from every community is invited to come and celebrate the differences which make our city stronger. The tapestry of cultures represented by our citizens is a beautiful thing and will be on full display at the event,” said CRC Chair LaKeisha Ross-Johnson. “In addition, we will also present our Human Relations Awards to a deserving organization and to a person who have been a part of weaving that tapestry to create the unique culture of our community by bringing people together in various ways. It will be a day for the history books for sure, as we will also celebrate and acknowledge 60 years of having the Community Relations Council in the City of Hickory. We would love to connect with former council members and grant recipients.”

In the event of inclement weather, the festival will be moved indoors to Ridgeview Recreation Center (115 Seventh Avenue SW, Hickory, N.C. 28602).

For more information about the Hickory Multicultural Festival, please contact Community Relations Council staff liaison Captain Philip Demas at the Hickory Police Department at 828-261-2608 or [email protected].