Taste the World Without Leaving Alexandria: Around the World Cultural Food Festival Returns Aug. 23

ALEXANDRIA, VA – Old Town’s waterfront will once again become a global gathering place on Saturday, August 23, as the 9th annual Around the World Cultural Food Festival takes over Oronoco Bay Park. From 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., festival-goers can eat, shop, and dance their way across more than two dozen countries without ever leaving Alexandria. Admission is free, and organizers say this year’s celebration will be the biggest yet.

Food First: 24 Countries, 150+ Dishes
The festival is best known for its food, and for good reason. With more than 150 authentic dishes representing 24 nations, the event delivers a true tasting tour of the world. In a distinctive twist, only one food vendor is invited to represent each country, ensuring authenticity and variety. Guests will be able to savor Lebanese shawarma, Turkish kebabs, Peruvian ceviche, Jamaican jerk chicken, Greek souvlaki, Japanese ramen, and Vietnamese banh mi. Empanadas will appear in multiple regional styles, with Argentina, Jamaica, Mexico, Peru, and India each showcasing their own interpretation of the beloved dish. For dessert, festival-goers can look forward to pastries and sweets from France, Japan, Vietnam, and more.

One Alexandria resident who attended in 2024 said the event felt like “traveling across five continents in one afternoon.” They added that while the food was incredible, the true highlight was the energy of the community: “I saw kids and grandparents alike dancing to music from countries they’d never even visited. It was joyful, pure and simple.”

Music and Dance from Around the World
The main stage of the Around the World Cultural Food Festival Alexandria will be alive with traditional music and dance performances from countries including Argentina, Brazil, Egypt, France, Germany, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Poland, Spain, Turkey, and Ukraine. Each act highlights not only movement and sound but also colorful traditional dress, making the day as visually striking as it is entertaining. Another festival regular described the performances as “connection in motion,” explaining that when the Polish dancers began their routine in bright costumes, the whole crowd leaned in and clapped along.

Shop the World at the Global Marketplace
The Global Marketplace brings an additional layer to the cultural experience. More than 110 artisans, crafters, and small businesses from around the world will be selling handmade creations. Visitors can browse jewelry from Morocco, textiles from Ethiopia, baskets from Rwanda, ceramics from Turkey, wood carvings from Peru, kilts from Scotland, and dozens of other treasures.

Vendors represent countries as diverse as Angola, Armenia, Benin, Bolivia, Colombia, El Salvador, Ghana, Honduras, India, Kenya, Mexico, Morocco, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, South Africa, and the United States, among many others.

A Festival with a Mission
Organizers emphasize that the event is about more than food and shopping. The mission is to create an authentic cultural and educational experience where vendors share the most genuine aspects of their heritage. “Every booth felt like an invitation into someone’s family,” one past attendee said. “It wasn’t just food—it was stories, history, and pride.”

Event Details

• What: Around the World Cultural Food Festival

• When: Saturday, August 23, 2025, 11 a.m.–7 p.m.

• Where: Oronoco Bay Park, Old Town Alexandria

• Admission: Free

• Website: aroundtheworldfestival.com

• Social: Facebook | Instagram | Hashtags: #ATW2025 | #AroundTheWorldFoodFestival

This August, Alexandria plays host to a one-day, one-park, multi-country experience that promises to be as mouthwatering as it is meaningful. Whether you come for the shawarma or the samba, the baklava or the bagpipes, you’ll leave with more than just a full belly—you’ll leave with a little more of the world in your heart.