Programming At The Festival
Culinary Discovery | Cultural Discovery | Fruit Adventure Tent | Cooking Challenge | Meals from the Heartland | People's Choice Contest | Naturalization Ceremony
All weekend long, local chefs will demonstrate their culinary skills, offer samples of their delectable creations and share instructions of how to prepare them in the Meredith Culinary Discovery Pavilion. 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 Discovery Experience 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). In past years attendees learned about Taiko Japanese Drumming, created Zen Calligraphy Characters, participated in world trivia with foreign exchange students and met cultural ambassadors wearing traditional attire from other countries.
Support for the Cultural Discovery Experience is provided by the Iowa Arts Council – a division of the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs, the National Endowment for the Arts.
The Festival’s Fruit Adventure Tent presented by Voya Financial offers children and adults a unique experience to celebrate fruit from around the world. Visit the Fruit Adventure Tent to explore exotic fruits such as jackfruit, cherimoya and kiwano. Learn about where they are from in the world and even get a taste for yourself! Fresh fruit provided by Hy-Vee, Inc.
The Nationwide Cooking Challenge pits four teams against one another in a high-energy, high-stakes race to assemble the perfect meal and prove their culinary prowess. Teams must vie to create the perfect dish to impress an esteemed panel of celebrity judges utilizing ingredients purchased at the Downtown Farmers’ Market while navigating a few surprises along the way.
Come watch the challenge on Saturday, Sept. 21, 2019 at 11:30 a.m.!
Together with Meals from the Heartland, volunteers packaged over 60,000 meals during the 2018 Festival that were sent to people in need of food assistance around the world.
The Festival will partner with Meals from the Heartland again on Friday, Sept. 20, 2019 in hopes to meet or exceed the 60,000 meals packaged in 2018. Stop by the Meals from the Heartland display to learn more about this program and the international community it supports.
Sign up today to volunteer with Meals from the Heartland!
Vote for your favorite food vendor in the World Food & Music Festival People's Choice Contest, sponsored by MORE 104.1. The winner will be announced Sunday at 3 p.m. on the Polk County Board of Supervisors Main Stage.
To vote for your favorite food vendor, visit World Food & Music Festival's Facebook page during the festival. After you vote for your favorite, if you share the post, then your favorite vendor will receive an extra vote! Voting opens Friday, Sept. 20 at 11 a.m. and concludes Sunday, Sept. 22 at 2 p.m.
In 2018, the World Food & Music Festival was proud to host a Naturalization Ceremony for the U.S. District Court on the Polk County Board of Supervisors Main Stage.
The Festival will host its second annual Naturalization Ceremony on Friday, Sept. 20 on the Polk County Board of Supervisors Main Stage.
Naturalization is the process by which a foreign citizen or national becomes a U.S. citizen. Festival guests are welcome to watch this special ceremony and celebrate the achievement of these individuals. Read more about a naturalization ceremony that was held in Downtown DSM last year.
Program Sponsors