Glasgow Daily Times, Glasgow, KY

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September 4, 2008

Global Fest celebrates diversity

By GINA KINSLOW

GLASGOW — Barren County’s Global Fest celebrates the area’s cultural diversity in many ways, especially with food, song and dance.

This year marks the seventh year for the festival.

“We have Global Fest to bring people together from different cultures,” said Alma Glover, event organizer. “We want to bring them together and we want to educate people regarding the different cultures.”

She hopes people will become educated about the various cultures that exist in the Glasgow-Barren County area and will share their similarities and differences. By learning more about cultures, Glover said, people are less likely to stereotype people.

Headlining the festival will be Curb recording artist Star De Azlan, a performer who sings in Spanish, Italian, English, French and Portuguese. The musical genres in which she sings vary from country to Latin music.

Roger Buchanan, an audio engineer who works with Curb Records and other recording labels, first heard De Azlan perform in San Antonio last year.

“Amazingly enough, this girl not only sings, but she’s an entertainer,” he said. “She has a natural singing gift.”

De Azlan will perform from 6:30 to 8 p.m.

Other highlights of the festival include a car show at 10:15 a.m., teen idol contest at 11 a.m., Western Kentucky University’s Tribal Dance and Tango group at 2 p.m., international crafts and games at noon, a pinata burst at 3 p.m. and two performances by the Omega Force Christian Strongmen at 12:30 and 6:15 p.m.

There will also be face painting, a 50/50 drawing, handmade crafts, cultural education exhibits, American and global food and a train ride.

Glasgow High School’s 1968 basketball team coach Jim Richards and cheerleaders will also be recognized during the festival. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the team.

“They were the only team that won the championship,” Glover said. “We just felt like we needed to do something for the team. It was the best basketball team in and around this area.”

Richards, his team and cheerleaders will be recognized from 3 to 4 p.m.

One of several entertainers who will be returning to the festival this year will be the East India Dancers.

“People called and asked when they were going to come back,” said Glover. “They were so cute three years ago.”

Three other dance groups that will perform are: Shadow Dancers, Western Kentucky University’s Tribal Dance and Tango and the Barren County High and Middle schools’ dance teams.

Also returning this year is Arthur Hatfield and Buck Creek, who perform bluegrass music.

Witness, a gospel group based in Bardstown that also has ties to Glasgow, will perform, as will Black Widow, featuring Motown-style music and other genres.

Students from WKU’s International Department will be on hand during the festival.

“We are organizing a group of students to come and participate in Global Fest,” said Casey Young, graduate assistant at International Student and Scholars Services at WKU.

Some students will be selling things from their home countries, while others will be distributing information about their native countries.

The festival attracts many people to Glasgow each year.

“I believe it grows year by year,” said Ernie Myers, executive vice president of the Glasgow-Barren County Chamber of Commerce. “There is a lot of work put in on this project by many different people.”

The festival is Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Glasgow’s downtown public square. A schedule of events is listed at www.glasgow-ky.com/globalfest.

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