Kansas City is home to the Mayor's Ethnic Enrichment Commission, and to date 56 different ethnic groups and cultures take part in diverse activities throughout the Kansas City metropolitan area. Through the Outreach Committee, ethnic members visit various schools and businesses to educate the public about their various countries. One of the largest programs put on by the commission takes place during the third full weekend of August when the commission comes together to host the Ethnic Enrichment Festival.

The Kansas City Ethnic Enrichment Festival features more than 40 food booths, Scottish Highland games, and other authentic ethnic entertainment. It will take place in Swope Park. The festival brings a "Taste of the World" to Kansas City. Recent years' attendance has ranged from 45,000 to 100,000 festival attendees.

The festival was created as part of the 1976 bicentennial celebration. It began first at Liberty Memorial and then moved to Washington Square Park. These locations were quickly outgrown, and a site near the Band Pavilion in Swope Park became home for the Ethnic Festival.

The Ethnic Enrichment Festival has been the largest free festival in the Midwest. For more than 25 years Kansas Citians and visitors to the Midwest celebrated our annual festival. Admission is two dollars for adults, children under 12 are admitted free. Parking is complimentary. This event also is one of the largest ethnic festivals in the country. The festival features more than 56 different ethnic cultures selling their native foods and crafts and demonstrating their music and dances.

Traditionally, the highlight of the festival is the authentic ethnic food prepared and served by the EEC membership. The 2004 Festival features forty booths serving food and selling authentic crafts. It is an opportunity to taste the world. You do not need to leave home to travel the world. You can dance an Irish jig, sway to a Brasilian samba or an Israeli hora, among many others. Taste African-American fried-bread, Lithuanian potato pudding, Jamaican jerk chicken, Japanese shrimp tempura, French crepes or a Filipino cantaloupe juice.

Other features of the festival include the Scottish Highland Games from noon to 6 p.m. Saturday. One feature for the children 12 years and under is ethnic passports. Children go from booth to booth, getting their passports stamped and finding out about the various countries involved in the festival. The passports become geographical keepsakes for the children as they are then prompted to find out where these countries are located.

This year's special entertainment on Saturday night at 8:00 p.m. will feature the Philippine's Sinag-Tala Performing Arts Group. There is also ethnic entertainment on the stage beginning at 6 p.m. on Friday evening and changing on the half-hour through the weekend.

The Parks and Recreation department has been a co-sponsor of the festival with the Commission for 25 years.