Many of the festival’s traditions such as international music and food tasting will be the same, but there is one big change for this year, according to David Drissel, professor of social sciences at Iowa Central.

The festival, which runs from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., will will be located in the Student Resource Center on Iowa Central’s main campus. In previous years, the festival was held in the Career Education Building.

Drissel is also a member of the college’s International Focus Committee.

“We felt like the other location, which was the basketball court area of the REC center — we thought the acoustics in there were not very good,” Drissel said. “We felt like it was difficult to hear the main microphone, and also it seemed a larger area than necessary. That was a minor factor. It also didn’t have a stage. The new location does have a stage.”

He added, “It’s easier for the audience to watch if they are on stage rather than on the same level.”

For decades, the festival has been a way for the public to learn and enjoy various cultures all in one building. And the idea started with the late Dr. Mary Sula Linney, an educator who gave more than 40 years of service to the college until her death in 2006.

“She’s the former department chair for Language Arts and humanities,” Drissel said. “And she was really the one who started the festival 30 years ago.”

The college continues to honor her at the festival.

Guests to the event will be given a “just for fun passport,” as they visit between 30 and 35 tables, which will represent a different country.

“It’s always a lot of fun to go from table to table and we have the passports when people enter,” Drissel said. “Not a real passport, a fun passport. The kids like that because they can go from table to table and every table they get to put a flag sticker on their passport.”

“And then it’s educational. It’s an educational event for kids of all ages, including adults. You learn as you go.”

Iowa Central itself has a diverse student population.

The college enrolls 115 international students from 40 different countries, according to Drissel. Those students are in Fort Dodge on student visas, he said, and does not include students living in the area as legal immigrants.

“We have students from all over the world,” he said. “Nigeria, Australia –in just my classes — South Africa, China, Bosnia, Kosovo, Sweden, England, Ireland, France, all over the world,” he said. “Some of these students come to play sports here. A lot of the soccer players, track and field runners. Several of them from Africa and different countries. A lot of Europeans, students from Brazil, Columbia, Vietnam.”

Every year the college chooses one country to focus on. This year that country is Vietnam.

At the festival, Drissel will give a presentation on Vietnam.

He will also have a table featuring the country of Albania set up.

“Every year I pick out a different country I have been to myself to have a table for,” Drissel said. “This year I have decided to represent Albania because I traveled to the Balkans two years ago and went through Albania and Bosnia and Kosovo and Macedonia. We have other people there representing those countries. We have some students representing Bosnia, and another student representing Kosovo.”

Members of the sister city committee will be in attendance.

The festival wouldn’t be complete without an American table, Drissel said.

That table will feature things like root beer floats and hot dogs.

“Festival of Nations is really a cultural mosaic of America, as well as reflecting other nations,” Drissel said.

He said the festival is a chance to raise cultural awareness.

“We want to remind our community and the area that we are a nation of immigrants, and lots of folks in the are or virtually everyone in the area has some immigrant background,” Drissel said. “So it’s a good opportunity for people to display their culture, to display food, arts and crafts, music, games — that reflect their ancestral or cultural background.”

Focus International

What: Iowa Central Focus International Festival of Nations

Where: Student Resource Center on the main campus of Iowa Central Community College

When: Sunday, April 7

Time: 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Cost: Free

∫ Public is invited to attend