International Festival 2018
This year, Lawton’s International Festival will celebrate its 39th year of promoting greater awareness and appreciation of Lawton’s diverse heritage. The festival provides local, culturally-based organizations, groups and individuals an opportunity to display aspects of their culture, mainly through performances and demonstrations.
For vendor and/or volunteer performers information as well as the annual poster design competition, call the Arts & Humanities Division at 580-581-3470 or 581-3471 to check on applications and deadlines.
No Admission or Parking Fees with Free concerts & Entertainment!!!
- Friday, Sep 28: 5-10 pm, 5:45 pm Parade of Nations followed by Opening Ceremony with Naturalization Ceremony
- Saturday, Sep 29: 11 am-10 pm
- Sunday, Sep 30: 12-5 pm
Click here to open the foldable festival brochure with schedules, map and directory.
General Information - Free Shuttle Service
- For public parking, enter the park at 3rd & NW Ferris Avenue. Free shuttle service will be provided during the following hours from the McMahon Memorial Auditorium parking lot, 801 NW Ferris Ave. to the festival site.
Friday, September 28, 5:30 - 10pm
Saturday, September 29, 12noon - 10pm
Sunday, September 30, 12:30 - 5pm
- 2 Stages with Entertainment and Interactive Area
- Dining Area Near Food Vendors with Tables and Chairs
- Children's Area Activities - Some fee based
- Information Booth, First Aid, & ATM with Food, Sales & Display Vendors
Festival goes on rain or shine and some events may be subject to change without notice.
No pets (only service animals), bicycles, skateboards, drones and alcoholic beverages.
Call 58l-3470 or 58I-347I for more information or visit the website www.lawtonok.gov.
Highlights
- Fri., September 28 at 5:45pm, Parade of Nations, Opening Ceremony w/ Naturalization Ceremony. 2nd Street Stage
- David Wonders, Balloon Art and Magic, Saturday and Sunday various locations on festival grounds
Two Stages and an Interactive Area
- Volunteer community performing groups
- Headline Concerts at 8pm
- Museum of the Great Plains at the Interactive Area with Suminagashi, ancient art of Japanese Print Making
- Start Gazing with Hank Poppe
Festival Volunteers Needed - Besides having fun, volunteering offers opportunities to meet new people, gain valuable experience for resumes or college applications, provides community visibility for organizations or businesses as well as great bonding experience for families and groups.
Please note: The festival will go on rain or shine and some events may be subject to change without notice.
Sponsors
MAJOR SPONSORS: City of Lawton, Lawton Arts & Humanities Council and its International Festival Committee, Oklahoma Arts Council, National Endowment for the Arts and the McMahon Foundation. In addition, funding and/or support of this event is partially provided by the Lawton Fort Sill Convention and Visitors Bureau.
PLATINUM ($5,000+)
Lawton Fort Sill Convention & Visitors Bureau
GOLD ($3,000 - $4,999)
The McMahon Foundation
SILVER ($1,000 - $2,999)
Southwest Sales
Southwestern Medical Center
BRONZE ($500 - $999)
BancFirst
Dr. Rosemary Bellino-Hall
IBC Bank
OTHER ($499 and below)
Fort Sill Federal Credit Union
Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.
Lawton Evening Optimists for the Children's Area
IN-KIND SEVICES
To be announced
Entertainment
We are so excited to announce the 2018 International Volunteer Performers! Thank you to the following 214 performers of which 80 of them are 16 years old or younger representing many cultures and countries! ABKA Lionheart Karate, Aislinn & The Snake River Gang, Cameron University Pan Express, Comanche Nation Youth Dancers, Filipino-American Association of Lawton/Fort Sill, Galilee Missionary Baptist Church Choir w/ Band, Good Friends & Dulcimers, Gregg Stallings and Ronnie Ellis, Kealii’s Polynesian Spectacular, Kickers of Lawton, Lawton Harmony Chorus - Sweet Adelines, Mexican Folkloric Dancers, Musicality, Oceano Salsa Club, Reminisce and TCC Cloggers!
Also, thank you to the following for volunteering in the Interactive Area; Museum of the Great Plains who will teach Ancient Art of Suminagashi, Japanese Marbling and Hank Poppe who will bring his telescope for star gazing after dusk (provided no clouds).
Click here to open the foldable festival brochure with schedules, map and directory.
Banda Gabachos, Friday, September 28, 8pm, 2nd Street Stage (South)
Banda Gabachos performs with a Mexican music style influenced by German music from the northern part of Mexico, norteño, meaning "northern," or música norteña, "northern music", They have performed at Cinco de Mayo Festivals in OKC, Day of the Dead Street Festival at the University of Oklahoma, 29th Street Children’s Festival, Independencia de Mexico Festivals and Academia Day. Visit them on Facebook, www.facebook.com/BandaGabachos .
International Festival Committee’s Street Dance, Friday, September 28, 8pm, Lake Helen Stage (North)
The International Festival Committee is bringing back the popular community “Street Dance”, Friday, September 28 at 8pm on the Lake Helen Stage (North). The street dance’s DJ will present many musical genres from around the world. This very popular event plays host to all ages.
MoeTowne Alex & The Nightview Band, Saturday, September 29, 8pm, Lake Helen Stage (North)
They are an original R&B Soul Band with sounds of the 70's 80's & 90's that include HipHop, NeoSoul Jazz and Blues, They have performed in Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas. In Oklahoma, they have performed at the Oklahoma City Arts Council’s Arts Festival, Concert in the Garden at the Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Myriad Gardens in Oklahoma City, and more! Visit them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Moetowne-Alex-The-Nightview-Band.
Injunuity, Saturday, September 29, 8pm, 2nd Street Stage (South)
Injunuity is a Native American flute-centric roots group forged in 2007 by award winning composers Brad Clonch (Mississippi Choctaw) and Jeff Carpenter (Chickasaw). Since their inception Injunuity has released four full length albums; snatched up multiple national music awards; performed across the US and Europe; and has been featured in radio, tv, documentaries, and feature length films. Immediately this cultural sound and blend of genres drew attention, leading to the addition of two members; Philip Sullivan and Brian Harrison.
The inspiration drawn for all original tracks and compositions are based off the ability to experience tribal culture and life daily in Oklahoma, as well as interaction among other tribes, historians, storytellers, and even trips to the original homelands of the Chickasaw, Choctaw, and Cherokee people. Native Americans have profoundly helped shape the United States. The music of Injunuity helps revisit these times and keep them alive through song. Injunuity’s music promotes the introduction of Native American music and history into popular culture, helping break stereotypes about Native Americans and the music within the Indian Culture. Simply put, “we’re not your grandfather’s flute music!” Visit their website, http://injunuity.net.
Click here to open the foldable festival brochure with schedules, map and directory.
There will be free activities for the young patrons in this area Saturday and Sunday. Molly Buckley, Chair of the Children’s Area notes that she will have the following and a lot more! Free games & activities: 11am – 5pm Saturday and 12 - 5pm, Sunday, including Chinese masks, USA mats, Mexican Paper Flowers, and Tahitian headdresses, hula-hoops, giant bubbles, and the hopping bouncy balls.
Click here to open the foldable festival brochure with schedules, map and directory.
The Interactive Area at the Garden Pavilion will have the MacArthur High School Band’s Color Guard on Friday, Telescope Star Gazing with Hank Poppe (clouds permitting) Friday and Saturday at dusk. On Saturday, the Museum of the Great Plains will present the Ancient Art of Suminagashi, Japanese Marbling at 2:30pm. More artists will be announced at a later date for the Interactive Area Schedule.
David Wonders returns this year with his balloon magic and will be walking throughout the festival site. Also, look out for the talented vocals of the Southwest Opera Guild and dancing talents of the Oceano Salsa Club as they will also walk throughout the festival site to perform.
Click here to open the foldable festival brochure with schedules, map and directory.
Click here for foldable festival brochure with map, directory and schedules
International Festival Committee’s Information Booth - Information, Festival Brochures, Lost & Found, Festival T-Shirts and other momentos
Food & Drink Vendors
402 Grill
Alaskan Ice Palace
American Indian Club
Babushkas Polish Foods
Beta Sigma Phi
Caddy Shack
Carnival Eats & Treats
Daniel’s Concession
Das Bratwurst Haus
Dippin Dots Ice Cream
Doc’s Street Grill
F&R Greek Cuisine – 2 locations
Fry Daddy’s
Horst Concessions
International Cuisine
International Festival Drink Booths
John & Cooks and More
Kabob Express
Kolanders Concession / Lemonade Stand
Kolanders Concession / Roasted Corn
Kona Ice
Krazy Birdz
Manila Express (Pilipino Food)
Mithlo Family Feast
Mr. Yeti’s Snoballs
Okie Old Time Root Beer
Pecos Pete’s All Natural Tea & Soda
Rolling Cafe
Samoan Congregational Christian Church
Smokin W’ Haystack
Snowie Express, LLC
SoulRollz N Shishkabobz
Sugar Springs Kettle Corn
T & J’s Concession
Tasty Beats Food Concession
Taqueria Galaviz
TJ’s Smokin’ BBQ N More
Sales Vendors
A Touch of Beauty by Jackie
(Agvocates) The Teacher’s Pets – Petting Zoo
Caricatures by Robert Lange
Douglas Designs USA
Face It Face Painting
Girlco Boutique
Henna Tattoo
HHH Entertainment - Pony Rides, Mechanical Bull, & Bounce House
Jose’s Boss’s Shoppe
Journey Productions - Face Painting & Moon Bounce
Just Because…
My Little Pearl Bowtique
Native Art
Native American Art & Gifts
Open Arms Behavioral Health
Renewal by Anderson
Scentsy
Southwest Indian Jewelry
The Third Eye Boutique
TM Enterprize Digital Art
Treasures from Africa
Trimble Sales
Woodbridge Home Exteriors
Display Vendors
Jehovah’s Witnesses Literature Booth
Lawton Philharmonic Orchestra
Lawton-Fort Sill W5Ks Amateur Radio Club
Silent War Foundation
Festival Map & Schedules, Press Releases, Poster Design Competition News, Forms and More
More information will be up loaded as they become available.
Press Release - 2018 International Festival August Updates
More information about free evening concert line up and more!
Press Release - Winners of the 2018 International Festival Poster Design
For more information about the International Festival Poster Competition, call the Arts & Humanities Division office at 580-581-3470 or 581-3471
Press Release - Lawton's International Festival, Dates and Call for Participants
Announcing important dates for the festival and how to participate!
Call the Arts & Humanities Division at 580-581-3470 or 581-3471 for more information.