Main Stage Performances
Throughout the day, the main stage hosted a rotating lineup of cultural music and dance groups from the region. Performances were clustered into short sets so families could move easily between the stage, the sports area, and the artist demonstrations.
- Opening ceremony welcome and introductions.
- Cultural music and dance showcases.
- Community choir and drumming ensembles.
- Closing recognition on the main stage.
Sports Area Activities
The sports area invited kids and adults to try traditional games and friendly competitions side by side. Activities were designed to be approachable for first-time players.
- Kubb
- Curling
- CultuRace
- Open play
Court and lane space opened mid-morning and ran in continuous rotations, with volunteers on hand to teach rules and equipment use to new players.
Children’s Passport Program
Younger attendees could pick up a passport at the entrance and collect stamps as they visited different heritage booths, artist stations, and sports stations. Completed passports were celebrated at the closing ceremony.
Artist Demonstrations & Food Vendors
Around the grounds, featured artists and craftspeople demonstrated textile work, storytelling, and other traditional crafts, while food vendors served heritage dishes from many of the represented communities.
Booth hours generally mirrored the main stage schedule, with breaks in the middle of the day for community announcements.
A Look Back
CulturFest held its 20th and final festival in Fall 2018. The mission continues through the parent organization, the Cultural Diversity Network of Owatonna. Visit the About page to learn more about the network carrying the work forward.
The main stage at CulturFest serves as a gathering point where community voices rise together through music and movement. Throughout the day, performers from a wide range of backgrounds share short sets that highlight traditional songs, choreography, and storytelling passed down through generations. The pacing is designed so families can settle in for a few songs, then wander off to explore other corners of the festival without missing the spirit of the lineup. Between acts, hosts offer warm welcomes and brief introductions that frame each group in context, helping audiences appreciate the origins and meaning behind the rhythms, costumes, and gestures on display. By the closing recognition, the stage feels less like a venue and more like a shared living room where neighbors applaud one another.
Just a short walk from the stage, the sports area invites guests of every age to step into games that carry long cultural histories. Children and adults line up side by side to try friendly competitions, learning the rules and rhythms of traditional play together. The emphasis is on participation rather than victory, so newcomers feel welcome to ask questions, borrow equipment, and laugh through early mistakes. Volunteers nearby help explain origins and variations, turning each match into a small lesson in heritage. The energy stays lively but relaxed, with shaded spots for resting, cheering sections for friends and family, and plenty of room to move between stations. It is a reminder that sport, like music, can be a joyful bridge between generations and neighborhoods.
Beyond the main attractions, CulturFest weaves a network of smaller experiences that keep the day feeling fresh from morning to evening. Artist demonstrations invite visitors to watch heritage crafts take shape, while vendor booths offer tastes and textures tied to family recipes and regional traditions. The children's area adds its own passport-style journey, encouraging young guests to collect stamps as they sample activities scattered across the grounds. Photo corners framed in bright colors become informal meeting spots, and quiet seating nooks offer a break when the schedule grows busy. Each element is designed to complement the others, so a family can build a day around their own pace and curiosities, returning to favorite spots or stumbling upon something new.
Supporting this variety is a community of ambassadors, volunteers, and sponsors who keep the festival running year after year. Their work behind the scenes transforms an empty field into a welcoming village of stages, courts, tents, and tables. Recognition ceremonies honor the artists, demonstrators, and organizers whose steady contributions carry the mission forward, while award moments highlight emerging voices and long-standing traditions alike. As CulturFest looks ahead to future seasons, the program continues to evolve, adding new attractions while preserving the warmth and accessibility that have defined it from the start. The result is a celebration that feels both rooted and open, inviting every visitor to find a place within its colorful, ever-changing story.