Travel the globe in less time than it normally takes to make an airline reservation when strolling through the International Festival Avenue of Nations. Learn about diverse and ancient cultures at the Avenue of Nations, the place to get acquainted with Spartanburg's international community. Visit each country's booth and ask questions as you travel from country to country right here in Downtown Spartanburg.
One of the International Festival's featured attractions, the Avenue of Nations is also the place where kids stop to get their passports stamped, and offers a chance for some Upstate residents to take a trip "back home" and reconnect with their roots. See one-of-a-kind artifacts, beautiful clothing, and authentic memorabilia as you meet people from all over the world.
Honoree
Since 2007, a country (or other areas) has been selected by International Cultures of Spartanburg to be honored during the International Festival. The culture of the honored country is represented in various ways throughout the festival, including being located at the front entrance to the park with 8-10 displays representing the country.
2022 International Festival honors Colombia
Past Honorees include:
- 2007: Germany
- 2008: China
- 2009: Continent of Africa
- 2010: Continent of South America
- 2011: Scandinavia
- 2012: Switzerland
- 2013: Italy
- 2014: Japan
- 2015: Festival canceled
- 2016: Mexico
- 2017: Finland
- 2018: Philippines
- 2019: Puerto Rico
Parade of Nations
It's a scene reminiscent of a Disney Parade or the opening ceremony of the Olympics when the festival-goers line the sidewalks for the annual Parade of Nations, held at 2 pm. Festival participants from our Avenue of Nations educational booths and our stage performers all join in to be part of the parade, displaying signs with their country's name, carrying their country's flag, and following the winding sidewalks through the park.
If you only have a short time during the day to visit the festival, you definitely don't want to miss the parade.
2022 Avenue of Nations
