Enjoying the flavors of the world at a previous UW-Eau Claire Culture Fest, then known as the International Folk Festival. (UWEC photo)

Experiencing a different culture sometimes requires significant travel. But at the 55th annual Culture Fest at UW-Eau Claire, you can learn about other cultures from the comfort of home.

From April 17-23, the newly renamed Culture Fest (formerly the International Folk Festival) will showcase a variety of different cultures through video and live-streamed events. Participating organizations include Bizhiki Company, the Chippewa Valley Museum, Czechia/Slovakia, Chinese Students and Scholars Association, Scandinavian Group, Temple Sholom, Germany/Ger Deutsche Verein, Japanese Cultural Society, Malaysia/Malaysians Abroad Diversified, and others.

“By learning other cultures, I’m learning how other cultures work but also how the people think and what their perspectives are,” said organizing intern Tumenkhuslen Batdelger, a student at UW-Eau Claire, “so it’s making people more open-minded and more accepting of other people.”

Though much of the festival has gone virtual, folks can still taste authentic foods from different cultures through Davies Marketplace, which will serve five different foods from five different countries each day. Folks can also view food demonstrations to learn how to make authentic dishes from home.

For a full schedule of events, visit www.uwec.edu/academics/explore-opportunities/study-abroad/cie/culturefest.