On Saturday, Sept. 28, quiet downtown Jackson was transformed into a scene of color, lively music and delicious aromas as the 6th annual Jackson International Food and Art Festival kicked off. Main Street and Liberty Street were partitioned off to make way for the crowds of attendees who flocked to the lines of booths along the sidewalks for delicious food, handcrafted items and information on a wide variety of countries and cultures.
Sophomore nursing major Maddie Sprik and I arrived on North Liberty Street at 11:23 a.m. to begin our journey. We challenged ourselves to see, hear, taste and learn as much as possible during our time at the festival. Follow along as we make our way around the world in 80 minutes, all on the streets of Jackson.
11:27 a.m.
I almost immediately make my first purchase of the day, horchata from one of the several tents serving Mexican cuisine on Liberty Street. I’m practically drooling because horchata is my favorite drink (Southern sweet tea being a close second). I consider trying to conduct the transaction in Spanish, but I realize I can’t remember the word for “cup” at the moment. (It’s “taza,” in case you were wondering. That’s me putting my Spanish minor to good use.) The man ladles the creamy white liquid from a large clear jug into a foam cup and hands it to me, indicating the lids and straws set out on the table in front of him. He does the same for Maddie, and we thank him before heading toward the sounds of cheering coming from Main Street, sipping the refreshing drinks appreciatively.
11:31 a.m.
We arrive at Main Street in time to see the very end of the parade. Maddie and I push through the crowd to catch a glimpse of dancers and musicians in traditional garb making their way toward the stage set up in front of city hall. A little girl in braids and a pink flamingo shirt, watching from the other side of the street, waves shyly at all the participants as they pass.
11:33 a.m.
The final parade group arrives at the open area in front of the stage. Several of the ladies in this contingent wear the colors of the Mexican flag, with flowy white blouses, knee-length red skirts and elaborate woven belts. Upbeat music from the variety of brass and percussion instruments carried by the accompanying band rings through the air.
11:42 a.m.
The announcer just stated that it’s “a little warm today.” He’s not wrong; the noontime sun beating down makes the mid-90s September day that much hotter. Dancers and other attendees in heavy traditional garments are probably sweating far more than I am in shorts and a t-shirt. However, the range of styles and fashions is incredible, especially among the women’s attire. One girl is dressed in a ruby-colored gown with glittery silver designs and a voluminous layered skirt, which she has to maneuver as she walks down the street. Several women with miniature Japanese flags stuck through their belts wear elegant garments decorated with floral patterns (either kimono or yukata, I’m not well-versed enough in fashions to definitively claim which these are). One man wears a green and blue tartan kilt, and several have embellished vests or belts.
11:49 a.m.
We stop by a booth selling Native American jewelry and handcrafted items, where Maddie talks with a man in full Cherokee regalia, complete with an elaborate feathered headdress. He introduces himself as Chief Black Eagle from Mississippi. It turns out that Maddie is descended from a soldier who married a Cherokee woman and lived on a horse ranch in Mississippi, and the two discuss the possible connection. I take a picture for Maddie to send to her grandmother, and we thank the chief and move down the row of booths.
11:53 a.m.
At one of the booths representing India, a few women are serving free lemonade in exchange for facts or questions about the country. As we walk up, we hear one of the women explaining that India has 17 official languages, each of which is unique to a specific state.
When I get to the front of the line, I decide to ask a question. “What language do you speak?”
It turns out that she speaks Telugu, one of the men at the booth speaks Gujarati, and another speaks Hindi. I tell her that I have a friend who speaks Malayalam. “Oh, there you go!” she exclaims.
As we continue to meander down the line of booths, Maddie and I discuss our experience at the festival so far.
“Everyone’s just so passionate about sharing their culture,” Maddie says.
I agree. Despite the oppressive heat, the energy and excitement are almost tangible.
12:01 p.m.
A group of salsa dancers perform on the stage at city hall. Their fringed red skirts sway as they dance to the beat pounded out on a large drum, and their movements are far more complex than those explained in the salsa tutorial I tried to follow on YouTube. They’re also doing all this in shiny gold heels.
12:04 p.m.
I start thinking about how much I want some tacos al pastor.
12:05 p.m.
So far, the countries represented at the booths we’ve seen include the Philippines, China, India, Mexico, Guatemala, Trinidad and Tobago, Greece, Russia, Honduras, Turkey and Japan, as well as a selection of local artisans and businesses. In looking at the map on the festival program, handed to us by the women at the information tent, we realize we could spend hours taking in all of these.
12:08 p.m.
At the Japan tent, a cheerful young woman in traditional dress writes Maddie’s name on a paper fan for her in Japanese characters.
12:11 p.m.
We stumble across the West Tennessee Woodturners booth, where my mom impulse-bought a lovely boxelder bowl last year. She’s asked me to look around for another one this year, so I wander by the tables and admire the variety of platters, ornaments and boxes, sending pictures of the bowls to her.
12:18 p.m.
A Chinese dragon dance is taking place in front of the stage. A team of about ten are maneuvering the dragon (made of cloth? Paper? I’m not sure, but it is a work of art regardless), while two small children and two adults coax an intense, continuous beat from various percussion instruments. As the dance goes on, the dragon is put through increasingly complex movements, the team weaving its head and tail around and in and out as the scales seem to shimmer in the wind.
12:29 p.m.
Maddie purchases an elote, street food consisting of corn coated in mayonnaise, spread with sauce, sprinkled with grated cheese and served on a skewer, from the Guatemala booth. Her review is entirely positive.
“It’s really good! It’s nothing like I’d expected,” she says between mouthfuls. “I really don’t know what I’m eating, but it’s good.”
12:39 p.m.
After an in-depth text conversation, my mom has decided which bowl she wants, so Maddie and I head back to the woodturners’ booth to purchase a rustic number made of blackjack oak. I have also decided: I need those tacos al pastor.
12:41 p.m.
We’re back at one of the Mexico booths and in line for the tacos.
12:49 p.m.
I realize I’ll probably have a sunburn the next day from all this walking around outside. SPF is important, kids.
“Anything for tacos,” I whisper into my phone, which I’m using to record notes via the Voice Memos app.
1:00 p.m.
Six miniature tacos al pastor, garnished with onion and cilantro and giving off a lovely aroma, are acquired.
1:08 p.m.
Six miniature tacos al pastor are fully consumed and very much enjoyed. From our seats on the sidewalk by the courthouse, thankfully in the shade, Maddie and I can hear the music from the Bollywood dancers’ performance.
We’ve definitely exceeded our 80 minutes, and the entire experience has been wonderful. Given the smiles and noises of contentment as other attendees chat with representatives of different cultures or dig into fragrantly-seasoned platters of food, it seems many would agree. This festival provides an invaluable opportunity to learn about many different cultures in an immersive setting within our Jackson community, and I highly recommend taking more than 80 minutes to talk with some of the incredible people, watch the intricate performances, and sample what is, in my opinion, some of the most delicious food you’ll ever taste.
