The 34th annual Local Colors Festival took place in downtown Roanoke today to great success.
Performances were given on the main stage at Elmwood Park while different booths showed off the many performances, food, and cultural traditions that stem from more than 60 countries.
Douglas Jackson, the Arts and Culture Coordinator for the City of Roanoke, said that Roanoke is Virginia’s only designated Welcoming City and that having festivals like the Color Festival lets everyone feel like they belong while introducing parts of their culture to a new city.
“We want to make sure that we are a city in which everyone belongs. Part of belonging means being seen and being seen for who you are and your culture. If we can just even have curiosity about each other [and say] ‘hey tell me about your dress’ or ‘hey tell me about that song’ we can learn a lot about each other.”
Douglas Jackson, Arts and Culture Coordinator for the City of Roanoke
