International Fiesta
The International Fiesta was conceived by Armando and Ruth de la Cruz to provide a venue for cross-cultural interaction between community residents and international students beyond academics.
The first International Fiesta was held on the first Saturday of April 1991 at the Plaza of the National Bank of Commerce (now Cadence Bank) in downtown Starkville. For the next two years, the Fiesta was held downtown in collaboration with the Starkville Downtown Business Association. The Parade of Flags was held on Main Street, and in 1992, a parade of decorated bicycles followed the Flag Parade and children games and piñatas were conducted on the parking lot of AmSouth Bank.
In 1995, the International Fiesta was moved to the Starkville Crossing/Wal-Mart parking lot and continued to be held there through 1997. Since 1998, the Fiesta has been held on the Drill Field in the campus of Mississippi State University. This year (April 14th, 2007) the International Fiesta will be held at the MSU Junction.
The International Fiesta has been held annually every first Saturday of April except on years when there were conflicts with campus/community events or major holidays. Over the years, many kinds of events have been held and cultural programs have varied from year to year. However, the Fiesta festivities have always featured a parade of international flags and national attire, a cultural program, displays and exhibits of international arts and craft, native food sales, native games and piñatas, and on occasions an art competition by school children.
Later on, new events were added to the Fiesta celebration such as a display of international flags along Main Street during the week leading to the day of the Fiesta, selection of Mr. and Ms. International Fiesta, “Shake the World” street dance, showing of foreign movies co-sponsored by the MSU Department of Foreign Languages and the International Business Club, and “Rock the World” party dance.The Holmes Cultural Diversity Center under the Division of Students Affairs has become the official sponsor of the International Fiesta at Msississippi State University.
There are hundreds of International Fiesta “alumni” in many parts of the world. The Fiesta is one event that former international students and their families remember well because it provided them with an opportunity to showcase a musical talent or an artistic skill, learn about other people, listen to other languages, taste native delicacies, and meet new friends.
The Holmes Cultural Diversity Center under the Division of Students Affairs has become the official sponsor of the International Fiesta at Msississippi State University.