'A beautiful thing' | WorldFest celebrates cultures from across the world in Louisville

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A celebration of cultures from across the world is on display this weekend in downtown Louisville.

Friday marked day one of the four-day celebration known as WorldFest.

"It is one of the biggest events in the city of Louisville and it's also one of he biggest festivals in the country," event producer Joey Wagner said. "And to see this many people come down to one area for the city is a blessing."

WORLDFEST (3).jpeg — People attended WorldFest in downtown Louisville on Aug. 30, 2024. (WDRB photo)

WorldFest, a celebration of the cultures and communities that make up Louisville, kicked off early Friday. The festival on the Belvedere continues through Monday.

WorldFest showcases international food, music, dancing and more. It also includes over 150 vendors selling art, clothing and goods from around the world.

"It's great because you have the reggae area, you have the area with all the Hispanics, you have the area with all the Africans, and it's really cool to see them all blend together and come together for one event. It's a harmonious event and everyone's having fun, there's music, there's food, there's entertainment, there's laughter. So it's a great family place to come and to enjoy," attendee Ana Rodas said.

That's one of the many attractions for people who come to the event.

"It's really a beautiful thing to see so much culture," attendee Neme Etebar said. "When I first moved here, I was kind of like shocked with the amount of culture that was here and to see an event like this and the turnout because a lot of times places try but they don't get the turnout that you see here. It's really amazing all the culture blended together."

Producers said they've pulled out all the stops when it comes to this year's entertainment.

"We have Twinjabi," producer Jou Jou Papailler said. "They've got over 40 million views. We got Lana Scott from The Voice we got Jacory Johnson. He's got a new group. Everybody knows. Jacory from AGT. So those are some of our bigger names that we've had. And then we just have legends in music from all around the world. We have over 100 acts. I think it's the most diverse we've been this year. I'm really excited about what we're what we're bringing to WorldFest this year."

A parade of cultures with over 1,000 participants will happen at noon Saturday. The event is free to attend and open to all ages.

For more information and the full schedule, click here.

Related Stories: