The Festival of Nations St. Louis is organized yearly by the International Institute.
Other attractions at this event includes henna booths, Chinese and Greek calligraphy stands and stands for African Hair braiding.
The annual International Festival of Nations took place yesterday and today at the Tower Grove Park, St. Louis.
It featured pavilions from all over the world with food, drinks, artworks, fashion items and souvenirs from those places being available for purchase. There were also live performances by artists and dancers from all over the world.
The food booths were from Afghanistan, Argentina, India, Bosnia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burma, Canada, China, Eritrea, Ethiopia, the Philippines, Germany, Haiti, Isreal, Jamaica, Mexico, Nigeria, Peru, Poland, Puerto Rico, Romania, Scotland, Senegal, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam, among many others.
While at the Nigerian pavilion, an American wandered by asking if Ginger Ale was available. I hadn’t heard of that product in a couple of years. It’s one of the carbonated drinks made in the 80s by Coca-Cola company. But for some reason, the Nigerian pavilion every year at the International Institute has found a way to ship in crates of the product to satisfy the demand of an international audience. “I haven’t had that drink in a while,” I said. “I don’t even know why everyone would drink it.”
“It’s very good,” he replied. “That’s why I come here every year.”
Here are a few pictures from the event.
O’Hare International Airport looked ordinary. All that concerned me was that I was able to use the internet though I had to pay for it. A few hours later, on the megabus from downtown to St.Louis, I was able to continue, just before I dosed off and found myself back in St. Louis early in the morning. Even that city hasn’t changed, and it welcomed me with the warm breeze of the morning.
I definitely have changed, even if I say so myself. I carry some baggage of stress from all my “summer” travels, but it feels good to be finally “home” in one piece. Thank you for all the “congratulatory” messages. I appreciate them :). Now, time to get back to work.
from March 26 – March 28, 2010
Venue: Washington University, St. Louis.
Friday, March 26 at 7 p.m.
Friday’s films are co-presented by the Saint Louis Metropolitan Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
BRONX PRINCESS
Yoni Brook and Musa Syeed, Ghana/USA, 2008, 29 minutes
Follow headstrong 17-year-old Rocky as she leaves behind her mother in New York City to reunite with her father, a chief in Ghana. By confronting her parents’ ideas during her tumultuous summer between high school and college, Rocky must reconcile her African heritage with her dream of independence.
Sunday, March 28 at 7 p.m.
Sunday’s feature is co-presented by Saint Louis, Missouri-Senegal Sister Cities Program
AREA BOYS
Omelihu Nwanguma, Nigeria, 2008, 25 minutes
Area Boys is the name given to groups of youth who make their life on the Lagos streets. Two lifelong friends decide to repent from their corrupt ways by cutting ties with their megalomaniac boss. Life as “good” citizens proves difficult, so they plan one last job to fund their transition… and are faced with a life or death situation, testing their friendship.
Sponsored by African and African American Studies and Film and Media Studies in Arts & Sciences, Faculty of Arts & Sciences, African Students Association of Washington University and the St. Louis Art Museum. It is funded in part by a grant from the Women’s Society of Washington University.
More information on this website.
“Lemp Mansion is a house in St. Louis, Missouri. The ghosts of several Lemp family members are said to haunt the mansion.” – Wikipedia
“There is no place in the city of St. Louis with a reputation that is quite as ghostly as the Lemp Mansion. It has served as many things over the years from stately home to boarding house to restaurant…but it has never lost the fame of being the most haunted place in the city. In fact, in 1980, Life Magazine called the Lemp Mansion “one of the ten most haunted places in America”. – http://www.prairieghosts.com/lemp.html
“The Lemp Mansion is located in St. Louis, Missouri, a short distance away from the Mississippi River. Take Broadway from Interstate 55 and follow that to Cherokee Street. Go west on Cherokee and turn right onto De Menil Place. The address of the mansion is 3322. The Pointer Family has owned and operated the Lemp Mansion since 1975. The Lemp family line died out with him and the family’s resting place can now be found in beautiful Bellefontaine Cemetery.” – http://www.hauntedamericatours.com/hauntedhouses/LempMansion/
Now that we know (almost) all about this building, where it is located, and what makes it so remarkable, could someone tell me why this traveller is now thinking of actually going to spend a night there?