Gazette File Photo Participants from the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community march in the 2024 Parade of Nations. This year's event is Saturday.

HOUGHTON — Parade of Nations: A Global Celebration Returns Saturday. The community is invited to gather for the 2025 Michigan Tech Parade of Nations starting at 11 a.m.

This year’s event promises vibrant cultural displays, music, food, and performances celebrating the many nations represented in the Keweenaw.

The parade will begin at the J.R. Van Pelt and Opie Library on the Michigan Tech campus. Marchers will travel down College Avenue and Shelden Avenue through downtown Houghton, passing in front of the Ambassador Restaurant, before looping back along Lakeshore Drive and concluding at Dee Stadium.

After the parade, the celebration continues indoors at the Dee with live cultural performances, music, and dance.

This year’s lineup, beginning at noon, includes:

• MTU Pep Band

�–� Keweenaw Bay Indian Community Dance & Music

�–� Kivajat Finnish Dancers

�–� Husky Tae Kwon Do & Keweenaw Korean Martial Arts

�–� Celtic Music

�–� Latin Dances in Houghton

• Indian Student Association Dance & Music

The multicultural festival inside the Dee features delicacies literally from around the world. Patrons are advised that food at the Dee is available by cash only. Inside the Dee, sample authentic international dishes prepared by student and community organizations.

This year’s participants and their menu items include:

�–� Indian Students Association — Rice with Chicken Masala or Paneer/Aloo Masala (Vegetarian Option)

�–� Bangladeshi Student Association — Pulao rice plates with vegetables or halal chicken, carrot halwa, and combo meals

�–� Iranian Community — Baklava

�–� Nepalese Student Organization — Momos, potato salad, and homemade chutneys

�–� Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers — Tacos, nachos, fresas con crema, and horchata

�–� German Club at MTU — Bratwurst in a bun, add sauerkraut

�–� Society of Asian Scientists & Engineers — Lamb skewers

�–� African Students Organization — Ghana jollof, Nigerian fried rice, and Zimbabwean rice with peanut butter

�–� Muslim Students Association — A full plate: chaat starter, rice with chicken, and gulab jamun dessert

Join the Celebration! The Parade of Nations is free and open to the public. Come enjoy one of the Keweenaw’s most beloved traditions — a day of cultural pride, unity, and global flavors.