Written by Kylie Akins
On Saturday, April 24, the Campus Activities Board, Student Association and Multicultural Student Action Committee will present the International Food and Music Festival, bringing seven Harding bands to the Administration auditorium stage and food from more than 12 countries to the Caf.
“Why not take advantage of all the different students on campus, all the different origins of students and different cultures that coexist here and then make it a thing to celebrate,” junior Alan Elrod said.
Elrod started coordinating the bands at the beginning of the semester and booked a lineup of familiar Harding performers: Cheyenne Medders, The Clark Brothers, Michael Wright, Midnight Trio, Brandon Ragsdale and Orange Lazarus, me & a-free and From the Hollow. Elrod said he hopes this kind of event can become a part of campus life and become more elaborate throughout the years.
“I just see the potential at Harding to create this really enjoyable communal atmosphere of people showing off their talents and people just enjoying a weekend at Harding,” Elrod said. “We think it’s cool that we can make Harding a place that can host something like this and that it can be a center of this kind of experience.”
Aramark will prepare all the foods making up the featured cultural meals in the Caf after the concerts. With countries like Africa, China, France, India and Italy being represented, the Caf will host a wide variety of international foods for students to experience.
All proceeds from the festival will be donated to service to organizations dedicated to a global causes, namely Heifer International and Tents and Tarps.
“We hope the better we can make this, the better opportunity for students for one to have a really fun musical art experience, but also to get to know more about any charities that are involved and hopefully use it as a spring board for making people more globally conscious,” Elrod said.
Heifer International and Tents and Tarps will give a presentation during the concert to educate students on how they can become involved with each organization’s international service.
“These are international organizations charities with focus on international service,” CAB director John Dollen said. “I hope they [the audience] will be exposed to the work of Heifer International and Tents and Tarps so they can understand what they do and possibly help more in the future and gain a greater understanding, however minimal it might be, of the foods of other cultures.”
Heifer International, based in Little Rock, provides struggling families across the world with animal husbandry training and livestock to aid the local communitybecoming self-sufficient. Tents and Tarps, an organization created by Harding students, raises money to provide Haitians with temporary shelters as they continue to struggle in their post-earthquake emergency state.
“Music is something that is very cultural and personal,” Elrod said. “It’s not only something that shows who you are but a way of interacting with your environment. I want it to broaden people’s perspectives globally with the organizations we talk about and the chance to just experience and be surrounded with these aspects of different cultures broadens their mind as well.”
The bands will perform in the Administration Auditorium from 3 to 6 p.m., if the weather is unfavorable. If the weather is favorable, the bands will perform on the front lawn. Tickets to the show are $5 or free with the Pass. The international dinner will be served from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Caf. The meal can be accessed with a Caf swipe or $5 for each person. All proceeds will be donated to Heifer International and Tents and Tarps. For more information, contact CAB at 501-279-2234.
