Programming At The Festival
Explore programming offered at the World Food & Music Festival.
Culinary Discovery Pavilion | Cultural Activity Pavilion | Cultural Stage | Festival Adventure Tents | Festival Passport | Naturalization Ceremony
Spark DSM Business Incubator | Festival Front Porch
Festival Programming
All weekend long, local chefs will demonstrate their culinary skills, offer samples of their delectable creations and share instructions of how to prepare them. This is a can't -miss opportunity for anyone who enjoys live cooking demonstrations or is interested in expanding their recipe book.
Featuring a great mix of local ambassadors and fun activities, the Cultural Activity Pavilion offers a virtual trip around the world with workshops, interactive presentations and hands-on activities. Each event is designed to expose visitors to authentic cultural experiences here in Greater Des Moines (DSM).
The Cultural Stage features musical stylings such as the Morningstar Dance Troupe, Brazilian music/acrobatics, Soul Steppas, a Ukrainian vocalist, Scottish bagpipes, a Vietnamese vocalist, Japanese drums/dances and more!
Explore authentic tastes from around the world from exotic fruits like jackfruit, cherimoya and kiwano, to savory beverages from their countries across the map and learn more about the cultural backgrounds behind each morsel at the Festival’s adventure tents.
Fruit Adventure Tent Sponsored by Voya.
Visit the Fruit Adventure to explore exotic fruits like jackfruit, cherimoya and kiwano. Learn about where the fruits are native around the world and even sample one. Fresh fruit will be provided by Hy-Vee and Melissa’s World Variety.
Candy Adventure Tent
Visit the Candy Adventure for an exploration of flavors from around the world. This family-friendly experience will give festival attendees the opportunity to sample candy from different areas and cultures.
The Festival is one of the events participating in the Spark DSM Business Incubator to support small businesses. The program will host businesses and approved startups businesses at two special incubator-themed booths. The Spark DSM Business Incubator is sponsored by Principal and EMC Insurance.
Learn More
The Festival Front Porch is the premier gathering space to relax and take in the sights and sounds of The Festival. Just like the rest of The Festival, admission to the Front Porch is FREE.
At the World Food & Music Festival, attendees could enhance their experience by participating in the festival passport activity. As they explored the event, visitors collected stamps at various booths while sampling international foods, watching cultural performances, and engaging with chefs. Once their passport was filled, they returned it to the Merchandise Tent for a chance to win a prize. Passports were available for pickup at the festival’s information booth.
The World Food & Music Festival kicks off the weekend with a Naturalization Ceremony hosted by the U.S. District Court! The ceremony is an opportunity to witness individuals from across the globe become proud U.S. citizens.