Downtown Concord will host dozens of international food vendors, live music and cultural displays Saturday, Oct. 3, when the Concord International Festival returns for its sixth year.
Admission is free.
The festival runs from noon to 6 p.m. and will feature more than 50 countries represented through food, crafts, performances and cultural booths, according to the City of Concord. El Puente Hispano and the city co-present the event.
Seven acts are scheduled to perform, according to the festival's website: Drums 4 Life, Oops Polka Band, El Nuevo Tumbao, Mekong Icons, NC Brazilian Arts Project, Mariachi Guadalupano NC and Filodoxia. The festival also includes a kids' zone with internationally inspired games.
The event has grown steadily since its 2021 debut. In 2023, the festival drew 8,000 visitors to Downtown Concord, with more than 62 countries represented, over 61 artists on stage, 55 arts and crafts vendors and 21 food vendors, according to city records. By 2024, the count reached 63 countries and 90 stage artists.
Mayor Steve Morris said in the city's announcement that the festival fills a gap for residents who cannot travel abroad.
"It's an honor to join with El Puente Hispano to transform Downtown Concord each year and bring those experiences to residents, connecting the people and places that make our city such a special place to call home," Morris said.
Sandra Torres, president of El Puente Hispano, called the festival "a space where people feel seen, where cultures are celebrated, and where every family knows they belong" in the same announcement.
The 2025 festival was held along Union Street, Barbrick Avenue and Market Street in Downtown Concord. The city has not yet published a 2026 street layout.
The festival website, concordinternationalfestival.com, has additional details. El Puente Hispano can be reached at 980-389-0615.
Upcoming community events
- Saturday, Oct. 3: Concord International Festival, noon to 6 p.m., Downtown Concord. Free.
- Saturday, Oct. 10: Cold Springs Church Fall Festival, Concord.
