What is Brazos Valley Worldfest?

Many of you, who are probably my personal friends, know what Brazos Valley Worldfest is because I have been talking about it for the last 11 years.  Some others of you may just be getting familiar with it.  Brazos Valley Worldfest started as a community initiative as part of the United States Department of State International Education Week in November each year.

In 2006,Texas A&M University took the lead in organizing a community-wide festival due to its connection with the more than 5800 international students from 129 countries.  The university established an initiative to create a more welcoming environment for its international students, faculty and staff and their families.  What better way to welcome them to the Brazos Valley than to give them an opportunity to share their culture and learn about that of their temporary home.  The mission of the festival was created - To promote and celebrate the international diversity and heritage of the Brazos Valley.

For the next year TAMU found community partners interested in fulfilling this mission by volunteering to create this first-ever festival. By November 2007, the first Brazos Valley Worldfest was a reality.  With 2 stages and 27 culture displays, 3000+ attendees began learning more about the world around them.

 2007 video

In 2009, the festival found its current home at Wolf Pen Creek as well as a great partner in the City of College Station.  The city wanted to have a signature event to make better use of their awesome facilities and Brazos Valley Worldfest filled that bill.  From 2009 to 2013 the festival continued to grow up to 50+ culture displays and attendance of around 13,000.

The university provided staff to organize the festival, but always wanted this to be a community event and for groups off campus to participate and take pride in calling theirs.  In 2010, Brazos Valley Worldfest became a 501(c)3 nonprofit.  The festival has always been self sustaining with sponsorships, but now this opened up the opportunity for more grants and revenue opportunities.

In 2010, festival planners began expanding its reach to more than just one weekend of activities.  We began sharing cultural awareness at other events around the community as well as organizing additional programs such as Storytelling in Schools, Culture in the Classroom and Zumbathon.  The ultimate goal is always changing and growing as the festival itself grows.  Hopes for more programs as well as scholarships are still on the horizon.

 

Since its beginning, Brazos Valley Worldfest has shared international awareness through culture displays, demonstrations, performances, food tastings, arts and crafts, storytelling and more with more than 65,000 attendees.  Each year, more than 80% of attendees surveyed have learned something new about a culture that they were unaware of before attending Brazos Valley Worldfest.

Our next festival will be the 10th annual Brazos Valley Worldfest and planners are already looking to make it bigger and better.  More culture.  More education.  More fun.  We are always looking for unique performers and individuals and groups interested in setting up culture displays.  If you are interested, please email me at contactus@brazosvalleyworldfest.org.  It is FREE to set up a display and we provide tables and tents!

Connecting Cultures.  Honoring Heritage.  Brazos Valley Worldfest has a tradition of celebration and we hope you'll be joining us!  Keep updated by following this blog, liking us on FB and also on our website at http://www.brazosvalleyworldfest.org.

Lunar New Year - 2016 Year of the Monkey

2016 (on the Chinese calendar) is the year of the Monkey starting from February 8 and ending on January 27, 2017.  The Monkey is the ninth of the 12 animals in the recurring 12-year Chines zodiac cycle. 

DID YOU KNOW? In Chinese astrology, each year is associated with one of 12 animal signs AND one of the five elements?  Both the sign and element of your birth year are said to affect your personality and destiny.  The element of 2016 is FIRE.  Someone born in 2016 will be ambitious and adventurous, but irritable.

If you are a Monkey, here are some Lucky, and Unlucky things you need to keep in mind.  I hope you took advantage of your lucky numbers on the Powerball!  If not, you know now!! 

 

 

Other Years of the Monkey:
Fire Monkey                        2016, 1956
Wood Monkey                     2004, 1944
Water Monkey                     1992, 1932
Gold Monkey                       1980, 1920
Earth Monkey                      1968, 1908

 

 

The Brazos Valley community has a large Chinese population and celebrating the Lunar New Year is a highlight of their year.  Every year the Confucius Institute at Texas A&M University organizes a community Lunar New Year Celebration.  The Chinese culture will be shared through crafts for kids (of all ages!), calligraphy, Kickstart performances from area schools, musical performances using traditional Asian instruments and my favorite -- Lee's Golden Dragon Troup will once again share their incredible lion dance and acrobatic talents.  The event is free.  Brazos Valley Worldfest is again excited to participate with a table on chopstick demonstration.  Come test your skill level!

 



Sources:  http://www.chinahighlights.com/travelguide/chinese-zodiac/monkey.htm

Welcome to my new blog!  As Festival Coordinator for Brazos Valley Worldfest I have realized how much culture affects our daily lives without realizing it. 

As a person who was born and raised in Central Texas and has lived in a 40 mile radius my whole life - and has yet to get a stamp in my passport -  you might wonder what I know about world cultures.  I don't profess to be an expert, but thanks to having worked in international programs at Texas A&M University for the last 15+ years I have had the opportunity to meet people from around the world and learn about their cultures.  I have hosted students from around the world to dinner in my home. I have planned award ceremonies for President's of 2 different countries.  I consider myself very knowledgeable about international flags and flag protocol.  All of this is to say you don't have to be a world traveler to appreciate other cultures.  There are ways you can learn about the world in your own neighborhood.  I look forward to sharing what I have learned and hope to create an interest in my readers on how we all fit together in this ever shrinking world. 

Merriam-Webster defines culture as: the beliefs, customs, arts, etc of a particular society, group, place or time.  I am not promoting one culture over any other.  I look forward to sharing how even though some cultures may seem very different, we still have commonalities.  How does our culture affect how we think about others?  How we decide what to wear each day?  What we decide to pack for lunch?

I could not even list all of the cultures I identify with - volleyball mom, family member, Mom to a teenager, Texas A&M Former Student (WHOOP!), Catholic, Dog Lover, Sandwich Generation, German heritage, Southerner, Female in her 40's (UGH...), just to name a few.  I bet you never thought of some of those as being a culture right?  But each category fits with the definition of culture.  And don't we as humans LOVE to put things in categories!! 

Through this blog I'll share the mission of Brazos Valley Worldfest as well as other interesting facts about culture and heritage.  Including but not limited to: holidays, music and arts, interesting cultural awareness programs, food, cultural programs and festivals and many other ways we can all learn to connect with the world around us.  Please send me your questions and comments.  I would love to hear your thoughts.