World Music and Cuisine Festival returns at Missouri Southern 

Joplin, MO – The seventh annual World Music and Cuisine Festival will be held from 5 to 7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 23, in the North End Zone facility at Missouri Southern State University.

“It’s been two years since we held the event,” said Aaron Carmichael, an assistant professor for the university’s Institute of International Studies and organizer of this year’s festival. “We were in the midst of planning for it but we had to cancel in 2020 when the realities of COVID hit.”

During the event, international students, faculty and staff, community members and organizations will offer samples of their home country’s cuisine for $1 each. A $12 wristband will also be available, allowing those attending to sample one of each of the available dishes.

Carmichael said the food offerings will represent China, Spain, Japan, the Philippines, Mexico, Honduras, Vietnam, Finland, Austria, Nigeria, the British Virgin Islands, Brazil, Peru and the United States.

The entertainment schedule is as follows:

5 p.m.: Taiko Drum performance by Three Trails Taiko

6 p.m.: The Kizuna Japan-America Friendship Group, from Springfield, will present a traditional Japanese dance

6:45 p.m. – Music performed by MSSU’s international students

“The festival is open to the community,” said Carmichael. “It’s a way we can celebrate the food, culture, music and diverse people in our community – both on campus and off.”

For more information, visit www.mssu.edu/world-festival.