The independent newspaper of the University of Iowa community since 1868

The Daily Iowan

The independent newspaper of the University of Iowa community since 1868

The Daily Iowan

The independent newspaper of the University of Iowa community since 1868

The Daily Iowan

One festival ends, others flourish

A+mother+and+her+child%2C+one+of+the+dancers+of+the+Nooper+Dance+Troupe%2C+looking+at+the+homemade+Indian+clothing+and+jewelry+at+a+stand+at+the+Cultural+Diversity+Fair+in+Hubbard+Park+on+Sunday%2C+October+4%2C+2015.+%28The+Daily+Iowan%2FRebecca+Bright%29
A mother and her child, one of the dancers of the Nooper Dance Troupe, looking at the homemade Indian clothing and jewelry at a stand at the Cultural Diversity Fair in Hubbard Park on Sunday, October 4, 2015. (The Daily Iowan/Rebecca Bright)

By Anders Frieberg
[email protected]

The Celebrating Cultural Diversity Festival has come to an end after a quarter century.

University of Iowa students and local residents joined in the festivities on Sunday, with a high turnout and many student groups volunteering. The festival involves different performances, food booths, and so on.

The majority of the 28 vendors were student-run organizations. Holly Waite, the vendor coordinator for the festival, said there was a lot of collaboration between students and organizers.

“Without volunteers participating, this would be difficult to provide,” Waite said.

Georgina Dodge, the UI chief diversity officer and associate vice president, said that while volunteers had been steady, participation had been wavering.

“Participation has been decreasing,” she said. “That’s why it is being ended. It has run its course.”

Director of the Center for Diversity & Enrichment Nadine Petty also said attendance has been on the decline.

Petty said that while the “heyday” of the festival turned out more than 5,000 people, the last several years have had between 1,500 and 3,000 in attendance. She said it always took many volunteer hours and resources, and the center eventually decided those resources could be better used elsewhere.

Organizers in the Chief Diversity Office made the decision to end the festival, said Kendra Malone, the festival chairwoman. She said the festival went from being a unique event to one of many similar events held either on campus or in the surrounding communities.

Dodge also said the abundance of other events was not meant to take the place of the festival.

“It’s not about replacing; it’s about looking at the overall selection of event that are available,” Dodge said. “Nothing is irreplaceable, and nothing serves any one purpose. All of these [Center for Diversity & Enrichment events] serve the purpose of educating us about different cultures and different people.”

Over the last five years, there has been a steady increase in diversity at the university. In 2010, the total UI minority population was around twelve to thirteen percent. This semester’s incoming freshman class, by comparison, comprises 21 percent minority students, which doesn’t include international students.

This year’s closing festival had several new activities in the family area, as well as many prize giveaways for participants in activities.

Malone said the festival had been lucky enough to receive many donations this year from campus and community organizations that were used for prizes. She also said T-shirts from past years were used for prizes as well.

The list of performers was filled with many people from years past, but several new hands as well, Malone said.

UI students Momin Nasir, Pedro Gutierrez, and Oluwatosin Adebiyi MC’d, along with Nina Yu, Miss Iowa’s Outstanding Teen of 2015.

Dodge said the UI offers institute workshops to all constituents on campus and is also looking at ways to do more outreach for student training.

Petty also said the abundance of other programs led to the decline and end of the festival.

“There are so many other areas and so many other departments doing diversity festivals or similar types of activities that it made sense to put this tradition to rest, so we can start new traditions that are more ‘impactful,’ ” Petty said.

Malone said the timing was just right to move on.

“It’s also the festival’s 25th anniversary, so we thought it fitting for this year to be the final year, and a great opportunity to reflect on such an accomplished milestone,” Malone said.

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