The downtown area will come alive Sunday with the sights and sounds of the International Heritage Celebration.
The festival, presented by the Baton Rouge Center for World Affairs, is in its 14th year. The event will be held in and around the Baton Rouge River Center and will occur from noon to 8 p.m. Admission is free.
The celebration will feature more than 40 different countries, showcasing native dancing, music, crafts and food.
Monika Olivier, president of the BRCWA, said the unique food is always a big draw.
“There’ll be Louisiana food, but also different ethnic types of food,” Olivier said. “We’ve got Greek, Turkish, Vietnamese. There’s an opportunity to eat a lot of real, traditional food together.”
Along with celebrating the diversity and culture of other nations, Olivier said the festival goes to great lengths to emphasize its Louisiana roots.
“We definitely want to pay attention to the state we live in,” Olivier said. “That’s why we have things like the Louisiana music stage, the local food and local culture.”
Olivier said she hopes the festival will make Baton Rouge residents realize how diverse the city is.
“We’ve got tons of different people from different places that live here and they want to let people know what their country is all about,” Olivier said. 
 
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Contact Joey Groner at [email protected]