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Taste Food and Drinks from Across the Globe at the World Food & Music Festival on Sept. 16-18

September 6, 2016

The 12th annual World Food & Music Festival will be held on the Court Avenue Bridge in Downtown Des Moines (DSM) on Friday, Sept. 16 through Sunday, Sept. 18, 2016. It is Greater Des Moines’ premier food and music festival that celebrates cuisine and entertainment from around the world. Admission is free.

The World Food & Music Festival will feature 45 food vendors representing more than 20 countries and culinary regions including Italy, the Mediterranean, Thailand, Ecuador, Jamaica, the Netherlands, France, South Korea, the Philippines, Mexico, India, Morocco, Great Britain, Bosnia, El Salvador and more. New vendors in 2016 include Caribbean Kitchen, Miss Molly’s Jamaican Patty, Mucky Duck Pub and Sook’s Korean BBQ. In addition to a full menu, each food vendor will offer a $1 taste item to allow patrons to sample as much diverse food as possible. The Festival will also feature 33 beers from nine U.S. states and 14 other countries, plus five international wines and 10 cocktail choices reflecting worldwide tastes.

In addition to the diverse selection of food and drinks, The World Food & Music Festival will feature a number of activities and attractions.

  • The Farm Bureau Financial Services Stage will feature live entertainment throughout the three days, including headliners Baby Bee on Friday evening and Waker on Saturday evening.
  • Returning this year will be the Nationwide Cooking Challenge from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, which will pit four teams against one another in a high-energy race to assemble the perfect meal.
  • Live cooking demonstrations will take place throughout the weekend in the Meredith Culinary Discovery Pavilion, featuring 23 chefs from throughout the community.
  • Beaverdale Confections will host the Chocolate Adventure tent where children can make their own chocolate lollipop.
  • The Wells Fargo Cultural Discovery Experience will host a great mix of local ambassadors that will lead workshops, interactive presentations and hands-on activities including taiko Japanese drumming and the creation of Zen calligraphy characters.
  • Fireworks sponsored by MidAmerican Energy Company will take place at 10 p.m. on Saturday evening.

“The World Food & Music Festival is a celebration of Greater Des Moines’ rich cultural diversity and further reflects its emergence as a global city,” said Tiffany Tauscheck, Greater Des Moines Partnership Chief Communications Officer. “This event contributes to the vibrancy of Downtown Des Moines.”

A variety of volunteer shifts are still available throughout the weekend in several different areas as part of the Festival Volunteer Program, sponsored by Bankers Trust. To sign up for a volunteer shift, click here.

The World Food & Music Festival is sponsored by Farm Bureau Financial Services, Meredith, Stella Artois, MidAmerican Energy Company, Nationwide, Prairie Meadows, Principal, Wells Fargo, Bravo Greater Des Moines, Bankers Trust, Polk County, Terrus Real Estate Group, More 104.1, WHO-TV 13 and The Des Moines Register.

The World Food & Music Festival is the culmination of World Food & Music Week in Downtown Des Moines. Learn more at DowntownDesMoines.com/Events.

The World Food & Music Festival is produced by the Downtown Community Alliance, a pillar of the Greater Des Moines Partnership. For more information on the World Food & Music Festival including a list of food vendors and the full schedule of events, visit WorldFoodAndMusicFestival.org.

About the Downtown Community Alliance

The Downtown Community Alliance (DCA), part of the Greater Des Moines Partnership, cultivates a shared vision for Downtown Des Moines through leadership, initiative, advocacy, partnerships and shared solutions. As part of its dedication to cultivating a vibrant Downtown Des Moines core, the DCA produces events that promote Downtown and enhance the quality of life and economic vitality of our community. Visit DowntownDesMoines.com for more information.