San Diego Reader

On Saturday, January 17, 2009, thousands of people gathered in downtown San Diego after the Martin Luther King Jr. Parade to celebrate diversity at the 11th annual San Diego Multicultural Festival. More than 100 booths featuring multicultural foods and merchandise were set up along the Martin Luther King, Jr. Promenade across from the San Diego Convention Center, stretching from Union Street to Fourth Avenue.

In addition to the booths, the festival hosted two stages, one featuring music from around the world and the other offering multicultural storytelling. There was also a children's area with hands-on activities for kids of all ages, including a drum circle led by Susan of Rhythm Works. Volunteers at the festival said that the Nigerian storyteller was definitely the highlight of the day for many of the children in attendance.