Jeffrey Lee Puckett

@JLeePuckett

This has been an incendiary year when it comes to immigration, with a vocal minority that doesn't seem to understand math. We have access to one planet and keep making babies, so maybe it's time to build relationships instead of walls.

That's essentially what WorldFest is about. The city of Louisville has been staging the multi-cultural event for 14 years and it has grown to span four days with dozens of entertainers and nearly 100 vendors. A naturalization ceremony, Parade of Cultures and Global Village all return to an event that rivals Light Up Louisville and Holiday in the City in size and popularity.

"It's grown because there's a demand for it to grow," said Brent Nelson, the city's marketing and events coordinator. "So many people have wanted more and more and more, and so many people have wanted to get involved with it."

WorldFest will be held on the Belvedere in downtown Louisville at 5th and Main streets Sept. 2-5. Three stages will be set up to accommodate a wide variety of bands performing music from around the world, many of them from Louisville or nearby. The Parade of Cultures begins at noon Saturday at the Muhammad Ali Center.

Touring acts include Puerto Rico's Plena Libre (bomba music), Washington's Toby Foyeh & Orchestra Africa and New York's Eileen Ivers (Irish). Louisville is represented by everything from old-school soul (Mr. Wonderful Production Band) to jazz (Liberation Prophecy, Dick Sisto) to accordions (Squeeze-bot).

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There may not be a style of food that isn't represented, especially Mexican and Latin dishes, although there'll be plenty of kid-friendly staples such as corn dogs and hamburgers.

"We have so many people who want to perform, so many who want to be vendors, that we do have to turn people away," Nelson said.

Two features debut this year.

Becoming Welcomeville is a group that will greet attendees on Friday and offer to have a dialogue about how to make Louisville a better destination for immigrants. And the Kentucky Refugee Ministries, the Jefferson County Clerk's office and the Louisville Free Public Library will have a voter registration drive on Saturday and Sunday in the Global Village, with an additional emphasis on teaching recently-minted citizens how to vote.

"They're going to teach the importance of voting and the process because for a lot of them voting isn't an easy thing to do and it's a little intimidating," Nelson said. "Kentucky Refugees Ministries felt that was something that was really needed."

For a full schedule of entertainers, go to www.louisvilleky.gov.

Reporter Jeffrey Lee Puckett can be reached at 502-582-4160 and jpuckett@courier-journal.com.

WorldFest

WHEN: 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Fri.-Sun.; 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday.

WHERE: Belvedere, 5th and Main streets.

COST: Free.