The third annual Laramie Flavor Festival took place last week in Laramie, showcasing a delightful array of dishes from around the world.
More than 20 local restaurants participated in the event, each offering a unique taste of a different country’s culinary tradition. The event was hosted by more than 60 international volunteers representing over 40 countries.
“I love people. I love to see people find their passion, find something fun to do. We always try to make it really fun for them,” said volunteer coordinator Kim Jessen.
The event also hosted a cultural writing competition, wherein members of the international community shared stories of home, heritage and food.
“I wrote about licorice, I wrote about my grandfather,” said Birgit Burke from Sweden. “He built houses. He was a hard-working man. In the mornings we would all get together and he would have his coffee with me with toast. He was what I would call a real man. He smelled like black coffee and snacked on black licorice. That’s probably why I still like it so much,” she said.
The winner of the writing contest, Adbeldjalil Latrach, wrote about growing up in North Africa enjoying Makround with his family after Ramadan.
“I like sharing my background with [the] Laramie Community. I wrote about a special occasion which we have after the month Ramadan which is Eid where we eat sweets,” said Latrach. “In my story I talk about all the different flavors from Algeria and North Africa. It feels good, sharing my experience and my background with people here. It’s fun seeing people from different backgrounds getting together around something that is important to them, which is food and culture,” he said.
Attendees of the week-long event enjoyed specialties from Australia, Britain, Algeria, Sweden, Korea, Japan, Norway, Brazil, Cambodia, Ecuador and Denmark, among others. The festival was not only a feast for the taste buds but also a celebration of the diverse cultural heritage present in the Laramie community.
