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World Food & Music Festival Announces Naturalization Ceremony, More Programming Updates

August 9, 2023

GREATER DES MOINES, IA (Aug. 9, 2023) – The World Food & Music Festival presented by Veridian Credit Union has announced additional programming elements. The 2023 World Food & Music Festival will make its return on Friday, Aug. 25 – Sunday, Aug. 27 at Western Gateway Park in Downtown Des Moines (DSM). 

The Festival will kick off with a Naturalization Ceremony for the U.S. District Court will take place on Friday, Aug. 25 at 11 a.m. A total of 100 people will take the oath to become a U.S. citizen.  

The Festival also announced updated lineups for several activities, including:  

  • The Cultural Stage sponsored by Principal, featuring performers representing art forms from diverse backgrounds. 
  • The Cultural Activity Pavilion sponsored by Global Atlantic, featuring an opportunity to discover games and activities from diverse cultures. 
  • The Culinary Discovery Pavilion sponsored by Midwest Living, a Dotdash Meredith Brand, featuring local chefs who will demonstrate culinary skills and offer tastes. 

“Now is the time to plan your schedule for a weekend at the World Food & Music Festival,” said Amelia Klatt, Director of Events for The Partnership. “There are so many opportunities to discover something new as you enjoy food and music with a global flavor.” 

This year’s Festival will feature a record 53 food vendors from 26 countries, including 18 new vendors. The vendor list includes vendors from the Greater Des Moines Partnership’s Spark DSM Business Incubator. Once finalized, menus will be marked to denote items that are gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian or vegan. To see the full list of vendors, visit The Partnership’s website.  

As previously announced, the first headlining musical group for the 2023 Festival is Flor de Toloache, a Latin-Grammy nominated all-women mariachi group, set to perform Friday evening. The second headlining group is Chicago Afrobeat Project, described as an “ever-evolving musical experiment,” set to perform Saturday evening. Additional music acts will include Heath Alan, BYOBrass, Son Peruchos, Royce Johns, Guitarras ATM, Sharane Calister, Mind@Large, S.A.F.E., Sonny Side Up, Suede and EleanorGrace. Musical acts were booked in partnership with the 80/35 Music Festival. Find the full musical lineup here.  

Other programming announced includes: 

  • Fruit Adventure sponsored by Voya: Learn about and sample fruits from around the world. 
  • Candy Adventure: Explore and sample candy from different areas and cultures. 

The World Food & Music Festival is presented by Veridian Credit Union and is sponsored by Bravo Greater Des Moines, MidAmerican Energy Company, Nationwide, Prairie Meadows, Principal, Midwest Living, a Dotdash Meredith brand, Global Atlantic Financial Group, Voya Financial, Bankers Trust, Dave & Busters, Polk County, Renewal By Andersen of Des Moines and Vero, and produced by the Greater Des Moines Partnership. 

“The World Food & Music Festival is a celebration of cultures through food, drinks, music and learning opportunities,” said Jeff Rommel, Senior Vice President, Nationwide. “This event will bring thousands of attendees to the heart of Downtown Des Moines for an experience that people of all ages and backgrounds can enjoy.” 

Those interested in volunteering can sign up for a slot on The Festival’s Website. Learn more and keep up to date on the latest Festival information on the World Food & Music Festival’s website. 

About the Greater Des Moines Partnership 

The Greater Des Moines Partnership is the economic and community development organization that serves Greater Des Moines (DSM), Iowa. Together with 24 Affiliate Chambers of Commerce, more than 6,500 Regional Business Members and more than 400 Investors, The Partnership drives economic growth with one voice, one mission and as one region. Through innovation, strategic planning and global collaboration, The Partnership grows opportunity, helps create jobs and promotes DSM as the best place to build a business, a career and a future. Learn more at DSMpartnership.com. 

About Downtown, DSM, Inc. 

Downtown DSM, Inc. is part of the Greater Des Moines Partnership and is dedicated to ensuring the continued growth of Downtown Des Moines (DSM). A strong region needs a strong Downtown. Downtown DSM, Inc. leads efforts to drive development, placemaking and events in Downtown DSM. It promotes a strong Downtown through integration of retail, restaurants, businesses, housing, events and placemaking.