Brazos Valley Worldfest
Bryan, Texas

When: mid-November

Where: Downtown Bryan, Texas

Over 120 countries are represented during this day-long Brazos County bash which proves, like the words of the beloved children's tune, that "It's A Small World After All."

Cultural Exhibits: A stroll among the vendor booths becomes a globe-trotting trek as skills from a cornucopia of cultures are showcased. The strains of a Scottish pipe and drum band provides a soundtrack as visitors browse by an origami demonstration which magically transforms paper into an elegant crane at one stall, while brightly-colored polka costumes are displayed in another area.

The staccato steps of flamenco dancers telegraph tales from the land of toreodors on one stage while elsewhere the billowing veils of bellydancers weave a visual story from the Middle East. Kilt-wearing clanspeople will don ghillies to dance a jig, followed by lads in lederhosen, who perform the Schuhplattler for an appreciative audience. For athletically-minded festival attendees, a martial arts demonstration combines force and balletic finesse, while stylish Lone Star residents can check out a runway of worldwide wearables at a fashion show.

Food: Your taste buds will take an epicurean odyssey as you sample dishes from the four corners of the earth.

Children's Activities: Along with an array of amusement rides, Texas tots will sit spellbound as storytellers paint visual portraits of Native American life. Kids can take their first steps toward becoming multi-lingual as they learn the words to foreign tunes in a sing along, and the international craft tent offers little ones the opportunity to create global-themed souvenirs. For the duration of the festival, children are admitted for free at the Brazos Valley Children's Museum, where the imagination of little imps run wild as they "shop" for groceries or take a ride on a space ship.

For more information:

• visit www.brazosvalleyworldfest.org