By Carla Nelson
carla.nelson@theindependent.com

The Ethnic Festival will be from 5 to 8 p.m. June 27, 10 a.m. to midnight June 28 and noon to 5 p.m. June 29.

Volunteers are needed to work in three main areas.

"Usually, we see about 200 volunteers. We need around 25 people to help set up and 20 people to help tear down when it's over," said Jan Schmidt, who is organizing volunteers for the festival. "We really need people to work in the ticket booths, which run all three days and have two people in each booth with three-hour shifts."

Schmidt said the Ethnic Festival is looking for more vendors and education booths as well.

Festivalgoers can expect to enjoy all of the Ethnic Festival's multicultural tastes such as Indian tacos and fry bread, East Indian curry dishes, Vietnamese egg rolls, Mexican enchiladas, tamales and tortas.

New this year will be the Unity Walk, sponsored by the Multicultural Coalition. It will be a 13-block walk, beginning at 10 a.m. June 28 at Second and Pine streets. The Unity Walk will be a way to show support and celebrate diversity among the community, said Odalys Perez, Multicultural Coalition director.

Stage entertainment for this year is still being added. However, acts on the roster include Scottish bagpipes, Irish dancers, as well as musical acts such as Revival, Shurthing from Omaha, Slingshot from Hastings and Innocence (formerly Fear of Flying).

"We are sticking with one stage again this year," confirmed Lynnette Marshall, festival manager.

Kids will be able to enjoy a variety of activities from face painting to learning activities from the library and rock climbing.

The pole vaulting exhibition will also be back this year.

Those who volunteer their time at the Ethnic Festival will receive a Central Nebraska Ethnic Festival T-shirt. To sign up to volunteer, call Schmidt at 384-0478 or the Ethnic Festival office at 385-5444, extension 233.