Bolingbrook International Festival brings ‘flavors from around the world’

The second annual International Festival in Bolingbrook offered a diverse array of ethnic food, culture, merchandise and entertainment – including a camel ride.

The sight of a camel in Bolingbrook came as a surprise to Bolingbrook resident Matt McNicholas. For the first time, McNicholas and his grandson Jayden Janowski got a chance to take a ride on the camel.

“It’s not like riding a horse, " McNicholas said.

The full splendor of Bolingbrook’s diverse culture was on display at the outdoor festival Saturday at the village’s festival grounds and performing arts center at 375 W. Briarcliff Road.

The festival, also known as iFest, had food vendors offering cuisine from Africa, Mexico, the Middle East and Asia. There also were activities for children, including a climbing tower and a ground-bound plane ride.

Besides food, visitors also were able to listen to live music and dance in the tradition of cultures from Ecuador, India, Brazil and Russia. They could learn about other cultures, such as Egypt and the Philippines, by visiting the booths and tents that dotted the festival grounds.

Bolingbrook Mayor Mary Alexander-Basta, who emigrated from Egypt to the U.S. as a child, said the village celebrates different cultures with festivals that are focused on those cultures.

“The idea behind this one is to introduce everybody to numerous cultures at one time. So you get flavors from around the world.”

Alexander-Basta said she grew up in Nashville, Tennessee, and her father set up a small international fest in a local park that grew so much it ended up closing the downtown area. She wanted to try the same kind of festival in Bolingbrook. The first one was in 2019 at The Promenade.

Alexander-Basta said Fortune magazine ranked Bolingbrook as the 48th best place for families to live in the U.S. She said part of the way they ranked towns was by considering the level of diversity.

“Our diversity is definitely second to none.”

Bhavini Patel, the founder and president of Bolingbrook-based Sanskriti Community Connections, had a tent featuring Indian culture, with handbags, jewelry, clothes and art. The nonprofit organization is focused on promoting and preserving Indian culture.

“It’s such an inclusive festival. I think it helps with educating people and dispelling stereotypes,” Patel said.

The Filipino Friendship Society of Bolingbrook had a booth on Filipino culture. Romy Balcita, who emigrated to the U.S. in 1969, said Bolingbrook has about 100 Filipino families.

“A lot of us are professionals – doctors, nurses, engineers,” Balcita said.

Balcita said he’s worked as a computer programmer. He said when he first came to the U.S. in the 1960s, immigrants like himself had to work hard to establish themselves.

He said the International Festival is a “good thing to have.”

“We get to showcase our culture.”