KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — After being canceled in 2020, HOLA Lakeway’s International Food Festival is going full speed ahead in 2021. This year’s festival will take place from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Sept. 4 at the Downtown Green and Farmers Market.
“When we made the difficult decision to cancel last year’s festival, we said our commitment to continue this tradition was strong. … We meant it,” KC Alvarado, co-founder and current chairwoman of the HOLA Lakeway board, said.
This year’s festival is expected to be the most diverse in the event’s history according to Betsy Hurst, HOLA’s executive director.
The free event will feature food vendors from Argentina, Bolivia, India, Italy, Mexico, Micronesia, Puerto Rico, and Venezuela. The festival began five years ago as a way to highlight the Hispanic and Latino community in the Lakeway Area. According to festival organizers, it showcases the unique contributions of immigrant families in the Lakeway Area and helps to build relationships within the community.
HOLA Lakeway is a nonprofit with the goal of meeting the needs and improving the overall quality of life for the immigrant population in East Tennessee’s Lakeway region. The organization offers educational programs, including English and Spanish classes. It also coordinates with the COVID-19 Task Force and Hamblen County’s Complete Count Committee.
To learn more about HOLA Lakeway or participating in the festival, visit holalakeway.org or call 423-621-9065.
