Wheeling celebrates community's diversity at International Festival

Heritage Park proved an aptly named setting Sunday for Wheeling's International Festival, an annual celebration of the cultures that have made a home in the village.

"We want to celebrate the diversity of our community. We're doing this through music, art, food and dance," said Juan Acevedo, communications and outreach manager with the Wheeling Park District, which puts on the event,

Visitors camped under umbrellas, settled into picnic tables, snapped photos in front of the stage or played on the sloping green as 25 performances representing regions ranging from India to Russia were presented during the six-hour festival.

They included Jeff Winter and Janis Fine, who began the festival with a set of Jewish and Israeli melodies.

Fine said the festival erases boundaries.

"We think it's so necessary, especially given the world as we have it today, to be able to come and to celebrate together each other's traditions," she said.

Jeff and Janis were followed by the group Indiawaale, which danced to songs in different Indian languages.

Showing his multicultural leanings by wearing a Cancun, Mexico hat and a Viking T-shirt, Buffalo Grove resident Stuart Reiner was among those enjoying the music.

"I think it's a great idea. It helps people understand what other cultures are like, that we all have something in common - food, music, dancing," he said.