The Town of Blacksburg will soon be crowded with international culture as the Virginia Tech International Street Fair celebrates its 51st year on April 10, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on College Avenue.

“Small Town, Big World,” is the theme for this year’s street fair, which starts International Week, April 9-16. Admission to the event is free and open to the public.

The International Street Fair is a popular event held every spring, as downtown Blacksburg transforms into a multicultural marketplace with decorated booths, vendors selling authentic items, cultural dishes, and more.

The fair also features live music and student performances of traditional cultural dances. The International Street Fair brings thousands of people from surrounding communities to join Virginia Tech in enjoying the diversity of the fair.

This year’s guest speaker will be Blacksburg native Krisha Chachra, one of the newest members of the Blacksburg Town Council, and author of Homecoming Journals: Dreaming Big in a Small Town. Chachra has travelled to more than 45 countries on six continents gathering human-interest stories for her publication. Chachra is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Urban Affairs and Planning in the College of Architecture and Urban Studies at Virginia Tech.

Other International Week events include the African Student Association showcase, which will formally initiate International Week on April 9 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the Graduate Life Center auditorium. It will highlight the various talents of the African student body at Virginia Tech. This event is also free and open to the public.

On Thursday April 15, Virginia Tech will celebrate Haiti Day with events, speakers, and music in support of Haiti and its earthquake recovery efforts.

The International Street Fair is sponsored by the Council of International Student Organizations, which is advised by the Cranwell International Center, a department within the Division of Student Affairs. In the event of inclement weather, the street fair will be held inside Squires Student Center on the Virginia Tech campus.

For more information and a full list of events and activities, visit the Council of International Student Organizations website.

For the International Street Fair, parking is available in the Shultz Hall Lot, located off Alumni Drive near the North Main Street campus entrance, or in the Architecture Annex lot, which will only be accessible via the south end of Otey Street. For events in the Graduate Life Center, parking is available the Architecture Annex Lot on Otey Street. Find more parking information online or call (540) 231-3200.

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