Despite summer heat and a beaming sun, hundreds of Coloradans representing nearly 60 countries mixed in the melting pot Saturday at the Aurora Municipal Center.

Aurora's Global Fest returned for its 11th year, celebrating the cultures and identities that make the city special.

More than 160 languages are spoken in Aurora schools, according to a city fact sheet, and the city's International and Immigrant Affairs office looks to celebrate that inclusion and diversity with the yearly festival. 

The event, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, included two stages of musical and dance performances, around 20 local food trucks selling various cultural cuisine, an international marketplace, a diverse fashion show and the yearly opening ceremony — the Parade of Nations.

In the parade, nearly 60 groups representing different nations gallivanted through the park, holding flags and singing songs in cultural garb.

“We’re just bringing culture back to the U.S.," Chris Okere, part of a Boulder Maasai group, celebrating the culture from East Africa, said after singing with the Kenyan flag during the parade. "Some people miss it and can’t afford to go back home, so it’s bringing that originality. Originality is always good.”

Okere moved to Colorado 14 years ago. Angel Mollel, another member of the Maasai group, moved from Tanzania 12 years ago.

“We’ve all met through different African events, so we came up with the idea for the group," Mollel said. "Why not come together and start doing events? A lot of people want to see these cultures but they can’t afford to go all the way to African countries to see them.” 

Though 2024 was their first year representing the Eastern African culture at Global Fest, they've done various events throughout Colorado.

“It’s giving people opportunities to showcase their culture," Okere said of celebratory festivals like Global Fest. "It’s not like when you move from Africa and come here, you lose your culture. Events like this help us keep that culture.”

“Coming to a different country, it can feel lonely because you’re getting used to new foods, new languages, new everything," Mollel added. "Having events like this where you can meet people from back home or are from different cultures and are trying to navigate their way here, it’s amazing. It makes you feel like you’re not alone in a new environment.”

And that idea of bonding with others, learning new cultures and finding similarities stretched throughout the park.

Under one tent in the international marketplace, Libya, Peru, Columbia and Venezuela were all represented with handmade goods.

“[The festival] means a lot because we feel like we’re not the only ones in Colorado,” Monica Josephson said. “We get to learn all of the other cultures and share and eat the food.”

Josephson moved to Denver from Columbia eight years ago. Her and her sister sell handmade woven art. In the winter, they create products like cowls, but at the summer event, they were selling handmade jewelry.

A few feet down, Roxana Urpay, a woman from South Peru that moved to Colorado Springs three years ago, was selling handmade products — like ponchos and stuffed animals — made by mother artisans from Peru, Ecuador and Mexico attempting to make money for their children.

“I’ve made so many friends from different countries," she said of her second year at the fest. "Sometimes we have things in common, like how friendly we are in Africa or Asia. I just moved from Japan, so seeing people from that country and getting to eat Japanese food or talk a little bit of Japanese is great.”

And that camaraderie — the sharing of cultural similarities and differences — is what makes Global Fest a must-see. 

“This is really amazing. I feel represented," she continued. "I just saw my country with my flag in the parade and I feel really proud. I’m not ashamed to show and explain where I’m from.”