World Cultures Come Together At Lawton’s Annual International Festival

This weekend is Lawton's 47th annual International Festival. The three-day festival will kick off Friday and continue through Saturday and Sunday at Elmer Thomas Park. All three days will celebrate Lawton's diversity through food, entertainment, vendors and activities.

Lawton's International Festival is free and open to the public, and offers three days of multicultural entertainment and activities for the whole family. The festival will take place from 5-9 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. All food trucks, vendors and both entertainment stages will be located on the east side of Elmer Thomas Park, near the Holiday House.

Whether this year is your first time attending the International Festival or its a yearly tradition, below is everything you can expect at this year's festival.

International Festival Parking

Free parking is available in Elmer Thomas Park near the festival. Free overflow parking is also available in the neighboring parking lots to the west of the park at the Museum of the Great Plains and the McMahon Memorial Auditorium. A free parking shuttle bus from LATS will also be available to take festival goers to and from the festival.

International Festival Opening Ceremony

The International Festival will officially open at 5:45 p.m. on Friday at the South Stage with the Opening Ceremony and the Parade of Nations. The Opening Ceremony features remarks from local leaders and representatives from the festival organizers, including the International Festival Committee and the City of Lawton's Arts and Humanities Division.

The Opening Ceremony also features a Naturalization Ceremony presided over by a local judge. The Naturalization Ceremony is the final step individuals take before becoming United States citizens and participate in the Oath of Allegiance. Following the Naturalization Ceremony, the Parade of Nations will begin to officially open the 47th annual International Festival.

International Festival via Facebook, Canva

International Festival Performance Schedule

The three-day festival will feature performances on two stages, the North Stage and the South Stage, during the entirety of the festival. Performances will include local organizations and headliners, including Mariachi Las Altenas, Joe Coover Magic, Country Jamm Band and Watusi One World.

Click here for the full performance schedule at the 47th annual International Festival.

International Festival Food Trucks And Vendors

This year's International Festival will feature 33 food vendors serving international cuisine. Visitors at the International Festival can try dishes from Greece to Mexico. Click here for the full food truck list.

The festival will also include 21 sales vendors featuring 3D creations, face painting and more. Click here for the full sales vendor list.

International Festival Activities

This year's festival will also feature multiple activities for the whole family. This year the International Festival is bringing back its Soap Box Derby, which will take place Saturday morning.

New this year will be a Cornhole Tournament on Saturday. Teams of two can compete after paying the $20 entry fee to compete for prizes. Teams can sign up before the festival online or during the festival at the Information Booth. Matches will take place during the festival on Saturday. Teams have 10 minutes to report to the board after their match is called.

Other activities during the festival include a Kid's Game Area where kids can play games and win prizes. A Dunk Tank will also be on site from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday and 1-3 p.m. Sunday.

International Festival Information Booth

Visitors at the festival can stop by the International Festival Information Booth for festival details and purchase festival merch. This year's festival design was created by a student from MacArthur High School. The festival's Information Booth will be located near the Holiday House, which is on the east side of Elmer Thomas Park, near the 3rd Street entrance.

For more information about the 47th annual International Festival, follow the festival on Facebook or visit the festival's official website.