The Third Annual Kent International Festival is set for Sat., June 18 from
10 am to 6 pm at Town Square Plaza, at the corner of 2nd and Smith Streets in downtown Kent. Offered in conjunction with the weekly Kent Farmer’s Market, this popular event is a celebration of Kent’s cultural diversity and will feature native attire, musical performances, ethnic dance, delicious authentic cuisine and a Kent student art display.

For more information, contact Harpreet Gill at (253) 856-4968 or Dave Mortenson at (206) 818-8304.

Want a poster to display at your workplace, school or organization? Click here to download –> 2011 KIF Poster Final-2

Every once in awhile someone will ask me why I love Kent. Sometimes it is someone far away from Washington who has no idea where Kent is or what it has to offer. Other times it is someone who visited Kent long ago and remembers it as a not-so-special place they wouldn’t go back to.

I’ve lived here for five years, but every week I discover something new to love about Kent. Here are 10 things I love about Kent, Washington!

1. People: Despite the fact that Kent is the fourth largest city in King County, it retains its small town feel. Everywhere I go I am greeted with a smile. People in Kent are some of the nicest I’ve ever met. They are open minded, welcoming and good natured.
2. Parks: Kent, Washington has a handful of beautiful-but-small lakes that are serene and peaceful. Most are adjacent to a city-owned park with almost every amenity you can imagine. There are specialty parks as well like Arbor Heights 360 and Wilson Playfields, encouraging outdoor recreation for kids and adults. Some of my favorite parks include Clark Lake Park, Lake Meridian Park, Fennewick Park and Town Square Plaza.
3. Entertainment: There is always something to do in Kent. We have everything here from Kent Station and ShoWare Center to a Historic District and Kent Historical Museum. We also have a wealth of arts programs and school drama programs that provide dozens of performances, plays and other opportunities every year. What’s even better is that many outlets offer free or affordable things to do. Who doesn’t love free?
4. Shopping: Kent does not have a mall, per se, but we have much more shopping than most people know about. In addition to the always-popular Kent Station, there are locally-owned stores like Marie Haggin Accessories, Fig & Feather, Cheryl’s Unique Boutique, Titusville Antiques and more. There are also little niche areas like the “International District” on 104th and the shopping plaza on 104th and Kent-Kangley Road (Joann Fabrics, Linda’s Apparel, etc.) No matter where I go, I can find something special that fits my taste and my budget. See our Shopping page for more stores.
5. Dining: No matter how picky or broad your tastes are, there are multiple restaurants, cafes and diners to suit everyone. For American diner-style food, Maggie’s on Meeker is a favorite. For Thai, I recommend Archa Thai in downtown Kent. For Indian, I love Punjab Sweets on the East Hill. Proud to display its diverse heritage, Kent has a little bit of everything. Visit our Dine page for more suggestions.
6. Diversity: It is politically correct to say you embrace diversity, but not everyone truly does. In Kent, though, I believe we have a diverse population as well as a culture of inclusion and acceptance. We have several areas of town and specific businesses that cater to particular populations (e.g., Indian, Ukrainian, Hispanic, etc.), but we are eager to learn from each other as well. With more than 120 languages spoken in our schools, for example, most schools have English-learning programs as well as International Days where students can share their culture. This year the city of Kent partnered with a group of citizens to put on the 2nd annual Kent International Festival in downtown Kent. As a more personal example, my daughter goes to Dr. Na of the Mountlake Acupuncture Clinic on Central Avenue. He was born, raised and educated in China. When we go for my daughter’s weekly treatments, we exchange stories about our respective cultures. I think we learn as much about Chinese culture as we do about acupuncture and healing!
7. Accessibility: When I say “accessibility,” I mean that people and government in Kent, Washington are accessible to the average resident. I truly believe that anyone in Kent can send an email to the mayor or place a call to the police chief and get a prompt, personal response. I feel very comfortable that are our local leaders are accessible as well as eager to listen.
8. Entrepreneurial spirit: I love the fact that people in Kent, Washington have an entrepreneurial spirit about them. This includes business owners who passionately build their own companies, but also teens and young adults in the area who want to make a difference. People in Kent don’t accept that we have to do things the way they’ve always been done. They say, “I don’t like this. Let’s change it.” One local citizens group, for example, wanted an off leash dog park on the East Hill. Recognizing that the city didn’t have the funds to build one, they created the park in cooperation with the city, raising money on their own and turning their dream into a reality. In another case, a group of teens calling itself Project U(th) formed this summer to create opportunities for work and leisure for their peers. In Kent, we are not afraid to work hard or to pave our own way. We are a spunky bunch!
9. Community pride: Kent has been called many derogatory names over the years, but those who love Kent remain proud of their city. We show up in the thousands for events like Kent Cornucopia Days, Seattle T Birds and Predators’ games and concerts like the Backstreet Boys and REO Speedwagon. We work together to show our spirit and to shout Kent’s strengths to the world. For example, Kent’s neighborhood program brings residents together to solve mutual problems, to beautify neighborhoods and to clean up graffiti. Call us what you want – we will love Kent anyway!
10. Beauty: While I’ve touched on this a bit in #1 through 9, I love the beauty of Kent which includes its parks, lakes and mountain views but also its historic buildings, its public art work and, most of all, its people.

Those are just 10 of the reasons I love Kent, Washington. Tell me some of yours! Post them here or email them to us at iLoveKent.net, and we’ll post them online.

Contributed by Melanie Mosshart

Sunshine!  Lots and lots of sunshine.  That alone will bring Kent residents out from hiding in their homes for fear of getting wet in the rain-drenched Kent Valley.  On Saturday, June 26^th however, not only were people fleeing from their homes to get outside, they actually enjoyed getting wet ~~ in the fountain downtown!

What curious event brought mommies, daddies, children and even dogs in droves to the Kent downtown area?  The captivating and exuberant Kent International Festival, that’s what.  It wasn’t the sunshine alone this time urging people to get out and go.  What a glorious day to partake in the second annual International Festival in conjunction with the Kent Farmers Market in downtown Kent.

Children splashed, vendors vended, cooks cooked, and dancers danced!  The Kent International Festival offered a variety of entertainment, food and an assortment of unique items with an international flair.

Kent’s Farmers Market started on a little plot of land near the Library with perhaps 8 booths, each housing the fruits of local growers and craftsmen. The Kent Farmers Market has grown substantially since its inception, and is a grand mixture of photography, crafts, colorful flowers, fresh garden vegetables and plants in addition to a diverse array of distinctive gifts for every taste.

Taste?  Did I mention taste?  The International Festival touted delicious food, whether your taste buds were craving hot dogs, Mexican, Indian, Thai or Teriyaki, food booths filled the air with the tempting aromas of your favorite cuisine, enticing wanderers to wander over for a plateful of delectable delights.

Delight?  Yes indeed, the dancing was decidedly delightful and the crowds enthusiastic with each and every entertaining event.  There were dancers representing Ireland, India and Chili to name a few, bringing broad smiles to the throng of onlookers.  In addition, the martial artists, drummers and various variety acts truly gave the event its international flavor.  And of course, our littlest dancer brought many a chuckle and applause as she twisted, dipped and tapped her toes with the music like the women on stage that she so enthusiastically emulated.

Representative Dave Upthegrove could be seen coaching the dancers and encouraging the crowd to support the efforts of Harpreet Gill, the chair woman of this successful event.  As a Kent resident, I took great pride in showing off Kent’s International Festival this weekend to a visitor from San Jose, who was duly impressed as well.  I was so pleased to have heard about the festivities through local vendors, because I hadn’t been aware of it before.  I have marked my calendar to watch for next year’s festival, and my suggestion is that you do the same; because if you are able to attend next year with me, I have no doubt that you too will be captivated by Kent’s tribute to a diverse culture and community.

This Saturday the Kent International Festival committee presents the second annual Kent International Festival at Town Square Plaza. Located in downtown Kent at the corner of 2nd and Smith Streets, the day-long festival will include informational booths, an international fashion show, ethnic music and performances, authentic native attire and more!

The festival will be held from 10 am to 6 pm and it is FREE to the public. This year’s theme is “Learn From Each Other.” Informational booths will host activities and provide information from different countries and cultures to help us bridge the gap of diversity.

In addition, Town Square Plaza and 2nd Street will feature the Kent Lions Club’s Farmers Market from 9 am to 2 pm. Don’t miss out on the action!

Sponsors:

Allied Waste

Kent4Health

Great American Casino

Neighbor2Neighbor

Adam’s DJ Service

Kent Chamber of Commerce

Kent Community Fund

Kent Downtown Partnership

Kent Lions Club

Kent International Festival is hosting a fundraiser dinner on Saturday, June 19 (6-9 pm) called International Taste of Kent. Enjoy an evening of international food and entertainment including a full dinner from five of the city’s top international restaurants:  Greek, Chinese, Thai, Indian and Mexican.

Saturday, June 19, 2010
6 to 9 p.m.
Kent Senior Center, 600 E. Smith St., Kent, WA
Tickets are $50 each or $350 for a table of 8

Greek – Chinese – Thai – Indian- Mexican
Irish Step Dancers – Japanese Taiko Drummers – Indian Punjabi Dancers

For reservations, call 253-852-0874 or visit KIF online.

Sponsored by the City of Kent Sister Cities Association and Kent4Health.

The planning committee for the second annual Kent International Festival is hard at work to make the June 26 festival even bigger and better than last year. This day-long event will focus on the diverse culture of Kent, Washington and encourage participants to learn from each other.

Want to help? It is easy to get involved. The KIF committee is looking for:

- Arts & crafts vendors
- Performers
- Information booths
- Fashion show participants
- Event sponsors

If you are interested in learning more about the event, or volunteering in one of the above ways, please contact Harpreet Gill, event chair, at Punjab Sweets (open daily from 11 am to 9 pm) at 253-859-3636.

Kent International Festival
Saturday, June 26
10 am – 6 pm
Town Square Plaza
Corner of 2nd and Smith
(across from the Kent Regional Library)

FREE Event

On Saturday, June 27, Kent is sponsoring its first Kent International Festival at Kent Town Square Plaza (corner of Smith and Second Avenue). From 10 am to 8 pm., guests will enjoy:

- Spectacular native attire
- Musical performances
- Ethnic dance
- Delicious authentic dishes
- And more…!

Visit www.KentInternationalFestival.com for more information.