NICE Festival organizers prepare for summer event

NORWALK — The NICE Festival, which has become the leading multicultural festival in the state, will return to Oyster Shell Park this summer,

Now in its seventh year, the festival will be held Saturday, July 8, according to an announcement from the Norwalk International Cultural Exchange.

Organizers said this year’s staging of the event is pivotal and an important milestone in its development as they build and grow their series of multicultural events and education enrichment programs.

NICE emphasizes a celebration of folk and traditional arts from multiple cultures and ethnic groups across varied art forms and genres. The organization is known for hosting its large annual NICE Festival that features two stages of live folk and traditional arts performances.

The festival celebrates the rich global heritage evident in the music, food, art and talent of which those in Norwalk are so proud. The event hosts folk and traditional dancers, musicians, food and craft vendors from multiple traditions and customs and encourage the community to spend the day together.

The NICE Festival is a collaborative program with the Norwalk Department of Recreation and Parks, and is run under the auspices of NICE Inc., a nonprofit organization that seeks to promote and increase awareness of the diversity of people from around the world through arts and culture.

The mission of NICE is to encourage the various groups that make up our society to learn about each other’s traditions and customs in order to foster a deeper understanding and appreciation of what each group brings to our community.

For more information on the summer festival, visit www.NorwalkNice.org.