From India to Brazil, the International Street Festival has succeeded in breaking down the spatial and growing financial boundaries of traveling abroad by bringing the global community to The Classic City.

Created in 1999 and now celebrating its 11th anniversary, Street Fest has transcended the years and still bolsters internationalism and cultural awareness in local Athenians today.

“My predecessor wanted to create an opportunity to show cultures from around the world not only with UGA but the rest of Athens as well,” said Leigh Poole, director of International Student Life and associate director for Intercultural Affairs.

“We wanted a street party,” she said.

And what better way to do that than in the heart of downtown, College Square.

Not only is the venue central to Athens’ hubbub, but last year’s performances were said to have drawn crowds of 3,000 to 5,000.

“This year we have a really great combination for our stage acts ranging from soloists to artists to duets to bands to dances to demonstrations,” Poole said.

To name only a few, there will a traditional African and modern Asian dance, live music from local artist Fernanda Cornejo, an Irish-Celtic group Curley Maple, Martial Arts demonstrations, Indian Bollywood dance and a fashion show titled “Fashions From Around the World.”

Funded by sponsors like R.E.M. and the Department of Intercultural Affairs, the entire festival is free and packed full of prizes from faux passports and trivia games throughout the event to encourage people to visit the tables and other displays also, Poole said.

However, it is crucial to note that Street Fest is orchestrated and supported entirely by University students embedded in the international life on campus.

They are affiliated with an array of groups such as the Brazilian Student Association, the European Student Association, the Chinese Student Union, the UGA Japan Club and many others.

“It is cool to see all the work you do and how the community can come together with what we organize,” said Sophie Raboud, a senior from Switzerland.

Most students working for the festival today carry with them a memory from the past that perpetuates their return each year as well.

Raboud remembers distinctly that it was a Brazilian martial arts performance called ‘capoeira,’ and that it was how they performed not on a stage, but in the streets.

It still stands out as her most vivid experience from the past three years of participating.

For Raha Sabet, a sophomore from Alpharetta, it was when she was handed a balloon that she felt like a child again, but was also having an educational experience.

“It’s exciting because there are so many organizations there and I am a part of two organizations that were there last year – Athens for Justice in Palestine and the Persian Student Union,” Sabet said.

“It’s a great way to find out about organizations you never knew existed and can’t find in any other activities or fairs.”

Sabet makes another good point: The International Street Festival uncovers the vast amount of diversity living in Athens that students may not be aware of in the midst of their daily grind.

It creates a new dynamic in what many believe is just another small town.