Festival Theme
One festival. Many cultures. A shared home.
This theme uplifts stories of identity, community, and belonging and celebrates what connects us across cultures and generations.
Core Message: Every person deserves to feel seen, valued, and connected.
Festival Emphasis
● Celebrating cultural identity, empathy, and voice
● Promoting civic belonging and shared community space
Why This Theme Now?
Minnesota continues to grow more diverse, yet true inclusion remains uneven. This theme helps us recognize our shared humanity, deepen empathy, and make belonging visible across generations, languages, and identities.
In a time when many feel disconnected or divided, Imagine IF… We All Belonged reminds us that cultural expression and community celebration are powerful acts of civic unity.
Public-Facing Statement
(Use for signage, brochures, social media, program intros, or remarks)
Belonging isn’t just a feeling—it’s something we build. This year’s theme invites Minnesotans to celebrate not only where they come from, but how cultural traditions, stories, and expressions shape the communities we share.
Through food and language, art and ceremony, our cultural practices express who we are—and create powerful ways to invite others in. At a time when polarization and exclusion can deepen division, the Festival offers a different path: from othering to belonging.
When we share the practices that ground us, we offer others a glimpse into our values and ways of life. When we listen and learn in return, we become part of something larger: a shared story of belonging in Minnesota.
Together, we shape not just a festival, but a future where everyone feels at home.
Together, we shape not just a festival, but a future where everyone feels at home.
Vendor Theme Guidance
(Use in vendor applications, onboarding emails, artist calls, or intake forms)
Imagine IF… We All Belonged
One festival. Many cultures. A shared home.
This year’s theme invites you to reflect on how your cultural expression—through language, food, art, ceremony, movement, or storytelling—helps build belonging, strengthen identity, and invite others into your community’s story.
As a vendor or exhibitor, you are not just showcasing culture—you are helping shape a shared civic space. Each tradition you share is more than a display—it’s a gift that can build connection, invite understanding, and help others feel welcome.
Cultural Exhibits & Demonstrations: Exhibits and demonstrations offer hands-on insights into community traditions, ceremonies, arts, and lived experiences.
Highlight a cultural tradition, game, story, or symbol that helps your community connect to others or fosters a sense of belonging:
● How does it help your community feel grounded or connected?
● How might it invite others into your story—and contribute to a more inclusive Minnesota?
Dance Groups & Musical Performers: Performance brings culture to life. Through movement and sound, we express joy, history, identity, and connection.
Please reflect on one piece from your performance:
● How does this piece help your community feel seen, connected, or at home?
● How might sharing it help others feel welcomed, inspired, or more connected to your culture?
Food Vendors (Cafés): Food offers a window into our values and ways of life. The ways we prepare and share food reflect our relationships, memories, and roots.
Choose a dish from your café and share its story:
● How does this dish help your community feel rooted, connected, or at home?
● How might offering this dish help others better understand or appreciate your culture?
International Bazaar Vendors: Art, craft, and goods reflect the symbols, values, and histories we carry.
Select one item or tradition at your booth and reflect on its significance:
● How does this item or tradition express pride, identity, or belonging in your community?
● What might others feel, learn, or appreciate by engaging with it?