Loading Events

« All Events

  • This event has passed.

World Food and Music Festival

September 17, 2021 - September 19, 2021

World Music and Food Festival

The World Food & Music Festival will kick off its 17th year in Downtown Des Moines (DSM) on Friday, Sept. 17 – 19 in Western Gateway Park.

The Festival’s lineup of 40 food vendors represents 25 countries. A total of 13 of the vendors are new this year.

“We’re excited to bring the World Food and Music Festival back to Downtown Des Moines,” said Colleen Murphy, Downtown Events Director for the Greater Des Moines Partnership. “The event presents a unique opportunity to offer an array of global food, entertainment and activities for the whole family as we celebrate cultures from around the globe.”

The Festival will begin with a Naturalization Ceremony for the U.S. District Court at 11 a.m. at the Main Stage during which 50 individuals from around the world will become U.S. citizens.

The Festival will feature a diverse group of food vendors, with a plethora of gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian or vegan options available. Menus will be marked to denote items that are?gluten free, dairy free,?vegetarian or vegan. Attendees can also vote for their favorite food vendor in the People’s Choice Contest presented by EZ FM by visiting Facebook.com/WorldFoodFestival. The contest winner will be announced on Sunday, Sept. 19 at 2:30 p.m. on the Main Stage.

The Original Wailers presented by Prairie Meadows will headline the Main Stage programming, with a full list of other bands and artists scheduled throughout the weekend.

The Principal Cultural Stage will also feature musicians and dancers showcasing culturally diverse performances. The Cultural Activity Pavilion presented by Global Atlantic Financial Group will offer a virtual trip around the world with workshops, interactive presentations and hands-on activities. The Meredith Culinary Discovery Pavilion will host local chefs to demonstrate their skills and offer samples. The Fruit Adventure Tent presented by Voya Financial will offer a unique experience to celebrate fruit from around the world. The MidAmerican Energy Company Cooking Challenge on Saturday morning will pit four teams against one another in a high-energy, high-stakes race to assemble the perfect meal. The Festival Front Porch presented by Veridian Credit Union will feature a unique lineup of beers, wines and cocktails to be released at various times throughout the weekend.

The World Food & Music Festival is sponsored by Bravo Greater Des Moines, ATC – American Technology Consulting, MidAmerican Energy Company, Nationwide, Principal, Global Atlantic Financial Group, Meredith Corporation, Polk County Board of Supervisors, Prairie Meadows, Voya Financial, Atlantic Coca-Cola Bottling Company, Bankers Trust, City of Des Moines, Veridian Credit Union, Thrive Family Chiropractic, UnityPoint Health – Des Moines, VERO, 104.1 EZ FM and WHO TV 13.

For more information on World Food and Music Festival and to purchase tickets, visit https://www.dsmpartnership.com/worldfoodandmusicfestival/.