International Festival

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Monika Ford for Overture Center

Tania Tandias Flamenco & Spanish Dance on stage at Overture Center.

Tania Tandias Flamenco & Spanish Dance

Overture Center’s annual celebration of the diversity of Madison’s arts scene returns to its traditional late-winter spot on the calendar this year. International Festival is a good example of an event that would probably have an admission fee in other cities, but in Madison is free. Attendees can roam the OC to enjoy more than 25 performers ranging from Indian classical dance (Kalaanjali Dance Company) to Scottish bagpipers (Madison Pipes & Drums) to Cuban dance music (Rebulú), and much more. Hands-on art activities and a food and vendor market make for a full day. Find a performance schedule and more info at overture.org.

media release: International Festival returns to Overture Center for an exciting day full of cultural performances, food and more! The annual festival will take place on Saturday, March 8 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Join us in celebrating the rich cultural heritage within our community and enjoy nearly 30 FREE performances throughout Overture by artists who call Dane County home. Indulge in cuisines from around the world, browse stunning arts and crafts available for purchase, and learn about the many local businesses with global connections. More than 20 cultures will be represented with nearly 30 FREE performances. 

Guests may participate in person at Overture or online for select livestreamed performances via Overture’s Facebook page.  

PERFORMANCES – 10:15 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

• Atimevu - Traditional music from Ghana 

• Beni Daiko - Madison-based Japanese Taiko drumming 

• Breckenridge School of Highland Dance - Watch the swirling kilts and vibrant tartans of Scotland 

• Charanga Agozá – Cuban charanga-style dance music 

• Cris & Ann Plata - South Texas and Mexican border music: conjunto and norteño 

• Guitar House of Madison - Spanish guitar music with rhythm, passion & fire featuring Gabor Szarvas & friends 

• Hmong Institute's Heritage Club - Traditional poetry songs (kwv txhiaj) with musical instruments 

• Last Gaspe - Canadian, Irish and American fiddle music that swings 

• Limanya Drum & Dance Ensemble - Traditional drumming and dancing from Guinea, West Africa 

• LuLu Quintet - Sparkling French/Romany "hot club" jazz inspired by Django Reinhardt 

• Mad Craic Irish Dance - All-adult dance troupe performing both modern and old-style Irish dances 

• Madison Chinese Culture Association - Promoting Chinese culture and supporting our community 

• Madison Männerchor - Wisconsin's oldest German chorus, performing German and English songs 

• Madison Pipes & Drums - Scottish bagpipe band that promotes Celtic heritage through music 

• Meenakshi Ganesan & the Kalaanjali Dance Company - Bharatanatyam - classical Indian dance more than 3,000 years old 

• Mona Augustin – World beat love & social justice songs  

• Raizes do Brasil  - Capoiera - an Afro-Brazilian art form that fuses self-defense, dance, music and acrobatics 

• Rebulu Group – Classic Cuban conjunto music 

• Sadira Middle Eastern Dance - Raqs Sharki – the joyful, classical women's dance of the Middle East 

• Sergio El Vacilon - Cuban Son Guajira, Cha Cha Cha, Mambo, solo guitar and vocals 

• Son Del Atlantico - Colombian fusion band 

• Swapna Srinivasan-Mukula - Bharatanatyam dancer, teacher and performer 

• Tania Tandias Flamenco & Spanish Dance - Fiery flamenco dances from Southern Spain 

• UW Russian Folk Orchestra – Russian/Eastern European music played on authentic instruments 

• Yid Vicious - Festive blend of traditional and contemporary Klezmer music 

• Žaibas Lithuanian Dancers - Sharing, preserving and promoting Lithuanian heritage through dance 

• Zhong Yi Kung Fu Association - Traditional Sar Ping style of Lion Dance with live music 

SPECIAL ACTIVITIES 

• Little Eagle Arts Foundation (LEAF) (10 a.m. to 5 p.m.): Hands-on activities by various LEAF artists: 

• Molli Pauliot - natural fiber weavings 

• Lightning New Rider - natural fiber weavings 

• Glory of the Morning: Claire Maisells and Joy Maisells - hand crafted items all Native American made 

• Blue Bear Studios: Chris Sweet and Chrissy Shegonee - paintings, totes and mugs 

• Sky Woman Beadwork - Sayokla Kindness 

• Lillian WhiteEagle - traditional beadwork on everyday items and Ho-Chunk dancer regalia 

• Kimberly Crowley - basketry 

• Earth Jewelry by Leah: Leah Winneshiek - gemstone and beadwork mixed media 

• Little Eagle Arts Foundation - beadwork art making activity 

• UW-Madison International Reach (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.): Explore new cultures with student ambassadors  

INTERNATIONAL MARKET AND FOOD VENDORS 

• Aidanm Sweet Isintu Foundation 

• Akarim African Enterprise 

• Café Costa Rica 

• Friendship Force of Wisconsin-Madison 

• Friends of Ukraine – Madison, Inc. 

• Greenbush Heritage Foundation 

• Hope Institute of Uganda 

• Inti Fair Trade 

• Italian Workmen's Club - Madison  

• Jakarta Cafe 

• Madame Chu Delicacies 

• Madison Arcatao Sister City Project (MASCP) 

• Madison Area Chinese Community Organization 

• Madison-Camaguey Sister City Association 

• Madison-Freiburg Sister City Committee 

• Madison-Obihiro Sister Cities, Inc. 

• Madison-Rafah Sister City Project 

• Madison-Tepatitlán Sister Cities 

• Madison-Vilnius Sister Cities, Inc. 

• Mundo Esperanza Inc. 

• M&J Jamaican Kitch’n 

• Nazka’s Handmade 

• Nepali American Friendship Association 

• Otavalo Art 

• Polish Heritage Club of Madison-Wisconsin 

• Returned Peace Corps Volunteers of Wisconsin-Madison 

• Spinning Handiworks 

• The Hmong Institute 

• The Rolling Pin Bake Shop 

• Verona Area International School 

Visit overture.org/if for up-to-date listings of performers and vendors. 

International Festival 2025 is funded by Ho-Chunk Gaming Madison. 

Celebrating 20 years in Madison, Wis., OVERTURE CENTER FOR THE ARTS is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts organization that features seven state-of-the-art performance spaces and five galleries where national and international touring artists, nine resident companies and hundreds of local artists engage people in nearly 500,000 educational and artistic experiences each year. Overture’s mission is to support and elevate our community’s creative culture, economy and quality of life through the arts. overture.org