Special Events and Activities Highlight Holiday Folk Fair International

MILWAUKEE, WI — Various special events and activities will be featured during the 82nd annual Holiday Folk Fair International, America’s premier multicultural festival, Fri., Nov. 21 – Sun., Nov. 23, 2025, at the Exposition Center at Wisconsin State Fair Park in West Allis, Wis.

The annual “Cultural Awareness Program” on Nov. 21 will allow thousands of fourth through eighth-grade students and teachers an opportunity to personally experience global connections through ethnic displays, workshops, mini-language classes, exhibits and demonstrations, music and dance performances, storytelling, ethnic foods, and a marketplace.

Future Global Leaders Night, designed to bring together high school students, educators, and colleges for a one-of-a-kind learning and cultural experience that encourages global awareness and leadership, will take place on Nov. 21. The event, which aligns with academic standards in world cultures, languages, geography, and global citizenship, will provide real-world global learning, leadership development, college and career readiness, and experiential education.

The Wisconsin Scholastic Chess Federation will conduct a tournament on Nov. 22, with individual trophies given to the top five players in each division, team trophies presented in three classes, and medals given to all participants. The first round will commence at 11:00 a.m., with the awards ceremony scheduled for 4:30 p.m. The fee is $25 per player by 11 p.m. on Nov. 21 and $30 for on-site registration by 10:30 a.m.

Players can register at https://www.wisconsinscholasticchess.org/events/holiday-folk-fair-chess-tournament-2025/, with registration and payment also available at the event.

Senior Day, with special activities for those 62 and over, will be offered on Nov. 22 and Nov. 23.

An interdenominational religious service that brings a variety of ethnic groups together will be held on Nov. 23 at 10:30 a.m. in the Coffeehouse.

A program of the International Institute of Wisconsin (IIW), Holiday Folk Fair International celebrates the cultural heritage of the people living in southeastern Wisconsin. This year’s theme, “Celebrate the Culture of Traditional Music,” will allow Fairgoers to explore how traditional music represents one’s cultural heritage. The featured food at the 2025 event will be Celebratory Cultural Foods, which are living links to cultural heritage and traditions and an integral part of any celebration in many cultures.

Special attractions include invited international performers from Poland and Utah plus groups representing Japan, photographic exhibits, cultural murals produced by Milwaukee Public Schools students, the Artisan Corner, the Dirty Kettle Native American interactive display, the Milwaukee Area Woodturners, a Children’s Area, a bonsai exhibit, Senior Day activities for those 62 and over on Nov. 22 and Nov. 23, a Youth Chess Tournament on Nov. 22, and an Interdenominational Religious Service on Nov. 23.

The three-day event features the All Nations Theater with traditional music and dance, plus the opening and closing ceremonies; the World Café offering traditional dishes; the Tanzhauz, where attendees dance and sing along with a variety of musical stylings; the Coffee House, where patrons enjoy a beverage and baked goods while listening to talented musicians; Heritage Lane with unique traditions and customs through interactive exhibits; the International Bazaar, where cultural artifacts create a unique shopping experience; and the American Culinary Federation Chef’s Stage presented by TightSeal Exteriors and Baths featuring local chefs preparing traditional cuisine.

Advance tickets can be purchased through Thurs., Nov. 20, at the Folk Fair website (https://folkfair.org/admission/) – $13 each for those eight years old to age 61 and $12 for those age 62 and up. Tickets can also be purchased from all participating ethnic groups. Groups of 20 or more may purchase tickets at $11 each. There are no refunds.

Admission at the gate will be $16 for ages 8 – 61, with children up to age seven admitted at no charge. Those 62 and over will be admitted for $14, and all military personnel with a military ID card will be admitted free.

Hours will be 2 p.m. – 9 p.m. on Fri., Nov. 21; 10 a.m. – 9 p.m. on Sat., Nov. 22; and 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. on Sun., Nov. 23.

For more information on the 2025 Holiday Folk Fair International, visit www.folkfair.org or call 414-225-6225.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.