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The delicious aroma of food filled Downtown Morristown as HOLA Lakeway held its International Food Festival, a massive success.

Community members hailing from different countries set up at Morristown’s Farmers Market Saturday to showcase the delicacies of their home country.

Dishes from Mexico, Ukraine and Puerto Rico were among the foods that could be eaten at the festival, served by 24 vendors.

Paired with the variety of foods where live cultural performances such as Dustin Hatfield with a bagpipe performance, Devanshi and Aayushi Barto with an Indian Traditional Dance and Drums up Guns Down and the Kumba Watoto Dancers with a traditional West African Dance.

“The festival went really well,” said Betsy Hurst, HOLA’s executive director, “Everybody was happy to be there and enjoyed dining with their neighbors.

“We had an estimated 7,200 people attend this year and we are so happy that it’s continuing to grow.”

Hurst thanked for the community’s continued support of the festival and also thanked the many vendors for making it possible.

“We want to thank the community for its support and the sponsors for helping make this event possible,” Hurst said. “We are also so thankful for the festival committee and volunteers.”

Willie Santana, a founder of HOLA Lakeway, explained the importance of the festival to share the cultures of those who make up the community in the area.

“HOLA Lakeway’s mission is centered on integration; people bond when they break bread together, food builds community” said Santana, “The festival has grown into an important part of the Lakeway Area’s cultural, economic, and social character and showcases the important and unique contributions that the immigrant families of the Lakeway Area make in our community.

HOLA Lakeway envisions a world where all immigrants are empowered. It stands in solidarity with efforts that strive to make East Tennessee a more inclusive region for everyone, and it is able to do this with the festival.

“This festival is a perfect opportunity to include the different cultures all over the Lakeway Area in a single event and allow them to share it with their neighbors and coworkers,” Hurst said.

With the success of the food festival, the organization is already planning for next year’s.

“It is getting bigger each year and we are so happy to see the different cultures and what delicious foods they have,” Hurst said, “We are already working on next year so we can make it bigger and better.

“We will have our first meeting in October so if anyone is interested in serving on the food festival committee please give me a call.”

Hurst hopes that the community will continue to support the festival and HOLA Lakeway in the future.

“We ask the community to continue to support the festival, and participate in the festival because the beauty of the festival is that it brings the community together,” she said.

For more information about HOLA Lakeway or its International Food Festival, call 423-621-9065.