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Food and music are the beating heart of the 60-plus country Parade of Nations, stepping into its 29th year on Saturday, September 15. “The Parade of Nations committee selected ‘Global Beats, International Treats’ as the 2018 theme because it encompasses what the event offers to our community—international traditional music and exotic cuisine,” says committee co-chair Vienna Chapin, study abroad coordinator with Michigan Technological University International Programs and Services.
After nearly three decades, choosing a fresh theme gets successively trickier. But it’s a piece of cake compared to some other components of the event, which begins with a procession through Hancock across the Portage Lake Lift Bridge to Houghton’s Dee Stadium. The historic waterfront venue is transformed into a global marketplace offering dozens of food and craft booths and live performances from around the world.
Supported and coordinated by Michigan Tech, Finlandia University, the cities of Houghton and Hancock and businesses and organizations throughout the Keweenaw, the Parade of Nations and Multicultural Festival attract thousands to Houghton-Hancock in mid-September. Planning is by necessity a community-wide, year-round endeavor. Learn more about Parade of Nations past and present on Michigan Tech News.
