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Festival of Nations

Plenty of food and fun

HOUGHTON --Community members, visitors and Michigan Tech students gathered at Houghton Waterfront Pier and Dee Stadium Saturday for the 37th Festival of Nations and Multicultural Food Festival. While it is the first year under the rebranded title, students and residents learned more about each other and shared experiences through food, fun and dance.

Michigan Tech International Programs and Services Director Christian Montesinos said food is an important aspect of international students' cultures. A piece of which they are happy to share with Copper Country locals. "I think it helps them interact with the international students, through a very human connector, which is food," he said. "It helps the community at large, not only engaging and interacting with the students, but also to get some delicious food that they love and is not available here in Houghton."

Student cultural organizations in Dee Stadium served up everything from currywurst, to dumplings, boba and arepas. Aiden Arbuckle of the German Club was preparing brats and sauerkraut for community members at his table. "It's important for people to learn from other cultures and learn about the world," he said. "I'm really happy that the City of Houghton does this, just to spread everybody's culture. It's perfect."

At the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers' table, Janelly Sanchez-Puentes helped collect money and served horchata, a cinnamon rice milk drink, to interested community members. Sanchez-Puentes said spreading and educating folks about Hispanic culture is a key aspect of the organization.

"Our main focus is always to create an environment where students from Hispanic descent are feeling welcomed at Tech," she said. "And not only for them to feel welcomed, but to teach other students who aren't familiar with Hispanic cultures, different dishes and traditions that we represent."

On the waterfront, 17 different vendors from the community and student organizations set up shop next to Portage Canal. One student organization, the Indian Students Association, tabled and sold club stickers, as well as spoke with community members about the Taj Mahal, one of the Seven Wonders of the World.

"Usually, we are well known for our food and our dance activities during Winter Carnival," Ph.D student Ajay Penmasta said. "MTU has always been encouraging and helping us share that we are part of Michigan Tech as well. Festival of Nations has always been a significant part of it."

Community members in Dee Stadium and out on the Waterfront enjoyed kid's activities, cultural booths, and demonstrations from community members on the Pier stage, like traditional Finnish Dance.

"I enjoyed the food and the Finnish Dance," Houghton resident Navvy Montgomery said.

"We browsed around, looked at the different stalls and we're going to look a little more before buying some stuff," Tech student Jane Fall-Lakatos said.