The annual International Festival of North Alabama, co-hosted by The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) and the International Society of Huntsville (ISH), was held this past Saturday at UAH’s Spragins Hall.

“This year’s festival really showcased the rich diversity of our community,” says Dr. Belinda Ong, Director of Reference & Information Services at UAH’s M. Louis Salmon Library and President of the ISH.

Thirty-five countries were represented at the festival, which attracted approximately 3900 attendees from the community at large. Admission was free, but many opted to pay a $5 fee in return for a sampling of international comfort foods. Traditional dances were also performed throughout the day on the outdoor stage, including some from UAH’s international students.

But the real highlight was a mid-day showstopper from Step Afrika!, one of the top ten African American dance companies in the nation. “They were full of energy and the crowd loved it,” says Dr. Ong.

Now that it is over, she already has her sights set on the 2014 festival. “I have received so much wonderful feedback from people who attended Saturday’s festival that I am confident that it will continue to be bigger and better each year,” she says.