Festival Award Winners Announced

Here are the award winners for this year's International Festival, hosted by the Nationalities Council of Indiana.

Cultural Booths of NCI Group Members are judged in the following four categories:

1. THEME: Include in cultural booth historical, geographical, culinary, social or educational aspects of the particular culture. 2010 theme: Food for Thought - Tradition, Culture and Cuisine.
2. EDUCATIONAL VALUE: Provide relevant information about the culture.
3. CREATIVITY: Demonstrate an effective and enjoyable method to attract visitors.
4. QUALITY: Overall excellence. Examples would be people in native costumes and friendly approach to visitors.

First and second place winners for theme:
Society for Promotion of Persian Culture and Swedish American Order of VASA

First and second place winners for educational value:
Sons of Norway and German Heritage Society

First and second place winners for creativity:
Korean American Women’s Association and Hungarian Club of Indianapolis

First and second place winners for quality:
Camp Mabuhay (Filipino) and Swiss Club of Central Indiana

In addition, the Best Overall Cultural Booth, recipient of “The Betty” trophy for 2010:
Taiwanese American Association of Indianapolis

Food Booths of NCI Group Members are evaluated for quality and authenticity of ethnic food, appearance and sanitary conditions and overall assessment.
First Place: Indonesian Association of Indianapolis
Second Place: German American Klub

Finally (but not insignificantly), the NCI's Volunteer Service award (also known as “The Steve” trophy) is presented to the individual(s) who have demonstrated commitment to the goals of NCI and have actively worked toward their achievement. This year, for the first time, three volunteers were honored:
Josef Laposa and Frances Russell (pictured), and Charles Lindgren (deceased).

Mark your calendars for next year's festival, to be held 17-20 November.

(Photo courtesy of Ming Russell)

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International Festival 2008 is History

It's all over for 2008 -- and the award winners have been announced for Indy's International Festival.

First and second place awards are given to cultural booths of Nationalities Council of Indiana Group members. In addition, the best overall culture booth wins "The Betty" trophy for 2008.

1. THEME: Include in cultural booth historical, geographical, culinary, social or educational aspects of the particular culture.
First: Russian-Speaking Students at Indiana University-Purdue University in Indianapolis; second: Taiwanese American Association of Indianapolis.

2. EDUCATIONAL VALUE: Provide relevant information to visitors about the culture.
First: International Tibet Independence Movement; second: Barangay Club of Indiana.

3. CREATIVITY: Demonstrate an effective and enjoyable method to attract visitors.
First: Scottish Society of Indianapolis; second: Indonesian Community of Indianapolis

4. QUALITY: Overall excellence. Examples would be people in native costumes and friendly approach to visitors.
First: Indiana Okinawa Kenjinkai; second: Swiss Club Of Central Indiana.

The Betty was awarded to Society for Promotion of Persian Culture (see photo).

Food Booths of NCI Group Members are evaluated for 1) quality and authenticity of food and 2) appearance and sanitary conditions of the booth.
First: Taiwanese American Association of Indianapolis; second, German American Klub,

Volunteer Service award (“The Steve”) is presented to the individual who has demonstrated commitment to the goals of NCI and has actively worked toward their achievement. It was awarded to Susan McKee.