2009 TBA


The MVMC will hold its first ever “Festival of Cultures” during the weekend of Cinco de Mayo, May 2nd, 3rd, and 4th 2008. The event will celebrate the wide variety of cultures in the Four Corners region with a focus on the two most dominant minority cultures, the Hispanic and the Navajo. The event seeks to promote cultural sensitivity and appreciation of diverse cultural perspectives. Activities will include a street fair, cultural dances, music and performance art, ethnic craft and food booths, informational booths and demonstrations, a photo exhibit, educational speakers and films, children’s activities, and a parade. Themes and topics will explore the different ideas of the minority groups in regard to history, religion and cultural values. The event will be free and open to the public. The celebration will be held on Center Street in downtown Moab from the Grand County Library to Star Hall.

The festival will be part of a community cultural project. It will be the culmination of numerous artistic demonstrations, cultural performances and educational activities that will be occurring throughout the year. The MVMC will be working in conjunction with several other local non-profits, including BEACON, Native American Club, Cultural Connections, the Youth Garden Project and Club RED, to bring musicians, dancers, speakers, teachers, and other important figures from the ethnic communities prominent in our region. We will also hold workshops and provide opportunities to try ethnic cuisine. We will also be partnering with the schools to bring artistic and cultural education to our children.

Festivities will entertain visitors and participants from 3:45 pm Friday to 7:00 pm Sunday. Sunday is reserved for the big Cinco de Mayo celebration with Mexican tamales and churros, mariachi music, and local performers, with the final hours devoted to salsa music and dancing. Various regional artists have been asked to perform, including the Balet Folklorico, Desert Veils, Taiko drummers, local band Uncle Meat and the Bad Sons, songstress Estefania Infante, charro singer Javier Galvezy, Kausanchan Peru dancers, the Valley Voices, Hailey Henderson, and champion hoop dancer Charles Denny. Food booths will include traditional Mexican dishes, Navajo tacos, Argentinian empanadas, Indonesian cuisine, hot dogs and bratwurst, and roasted almonds and lemonade. Exhibit booths will include Navajo crafts, Ute beadwork, Japanese origami, Peruvian retablos, and cultural information. An international bazaar will feature handicrafts from around the world. A children’s area will feature ethnic storytelling, mask making, henna tatoos, and more. A parade has been planned for Friday with participants in ethnic costume carrying flags from around the world.

Volunteers and donations are welcome and needed for this exciting event, so please feel free to contact us at any time by phone or email if you are interested: (435) 259-5444 or

Click here for more information on volunteering. Click here specifically for sponsor and donation information.

We are also accepting applications for food and craft vendors. Click here for information and to print out the application.

For more information on any aspect of the festival, please contact the Festival Coordinator, Carrie Alexander at (435) 259-5444.

Funded by the Utah Humanities Council, the Utah Arts Council, the Moab Travel Council, the Moab Arts Council, and United Way.

This program has received funding from the Utah Humanities Council. The Utah Humanities Council promotes understanding of diverse traditions, values, and ideas through informed public discussion.