Festival of Nations canceled permanently

Minnesota’s Festival of Nations announced the event is permanently canceled.

Festival of Nations was last held in 2019, and the International Institute of Minnesota announced the conclusion of the Midwest’s oldest and longest-running multicultural festival “with sadness,” according to the Festival of Nations website.

The announcement states, “While the Institute remains steadfast in its commitment to celebrating Minnesota’s diverse cultures, it must prioritize its urgent day-to-day work of serving New Americans with their successful transition to a new community.”

The event began in 1932 but was canceled in 2020 and 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Festival leaders say they made the decision after reaching out to potential community partners to reimagine the festival, but “a strong partner did not emerge.”

Organizers were apparently considering a new venue and other changes to make the event more sustainable.

More on the cancelation can be found here.