UNC Charlotte International Festival

Explore the world at Charlotte’s longest running International Festival, hosted by UNC Charlotte’s Office of International Programs. Enjoy a day where you are surrounded by arts, crafts, costumes, food, music, and dance in a market-place style experience.

The International Festival is held on the UNC Charlotte campus in and around the Barnhardt Student Activity Center (SAC) and is centered around booths representing the cultures of over 35 nations. The booths are staffed by UNC Charlotte’s international students and members of Charlotte’s international community.

Many booths offer international food for sale. Festival entry and parking are FREE! The International Festival is open to the public. We highly recommend you consider bringing cash to the event. While some booths may accept credit cards, many only accept cash.

Throughout the day music and dance from a variety of nations will be presented on indoor and outdoor stages. In addition, the International Festival, which is family-oriented, offers a number of elements such as storytelling and obtaining stamps from the different countries represented in their “Passport.”

In addition to the hallmark elements, the International Festival includes an international games zone for attendees of all ages to participate and learn about the cultural significance of the games. Participants can learn the rules of archery and play mankala.

Founded in 1975, the International Festival continues to recognize the region and its growing international presence. Attendance at the International Festival in previous years has been estimated at over 20,000.

For further details, including directions and parking, please visit the UNC Charlotte International Festival website at: https://ifest.charlotte.edu/

The UNC Charlotte International Festival is an independently produced event and an official partner of the Charlotte International Arts Festival.