Around The World Cultural Food Festival

Around The World Cultural Food Festival

This one turns ten this year, and it has grown into the kind of festival where you eat lunch from four different countries because nobody could agree. Oronoco Bay Park sits right on the Potomac at the north end of Old Town, and on August 29 it fills with food vendors representing more than 50 countries, plus artisans selling jewelry, art and handmade goods. Entry is free, it runs 11am to 7pm, and it happens rain or shine. Live music, dance and cultural performances run on stage through the day, so there is usually something to watch while you are waiting in a food line.

For families the draw is the Kids' Corner, which has moon bounces and activities set apart from the main food rows. That matters, because the vendor lines get long around noon and having somewhere to send kids while one parent waits makes the whole thing work. Two beer gardens are on site for the adults. The park is dog friendly, so expect dogs everywhere. Bring a picnic blanket: there is grass and a river view, and sitting down to eat beats balancing four plates on a bench.

Parent Tips 💡

• ✓Get there close to 11. Lines at the popular tents stretch out by 12:30 and parking in Old Town is gone by then too.
• ✓Bring a blanket. Oronoco Bay Park is mostly open grass with a river view. Picnic-style beats juggling plates standing up.
• ✓Split up at lunch. One parent takes the kids to the Kids' Corner moon bounces while the other handles the food line. This is the whole strategy.
• ✓Bring cash and cards. Fifty-plus independent vendors means payment setups vary. Small bills move the line faster.
• ✓There is little shade. Late August on the waterfront gets hot. Hats, sunscreen, refillable water bottles.
• ✓Expect dogs. It is a pet friendly event, so if your kid is nervous around dogs, the edges of the park are calmer than the food rows.