Ethnic Taste & Tune Fest Scheduled for Sept. 8

—From a City of Novi press release

The Ethnic Taste & Tune Fest returns to Novi on Saturday, Sept. 8 from noon to 3 p.m. The City of Novi will partner with the Novi Farmers' Market to bring live entertainment, food, gifts, and children's activities to celebrate different cultures.

Live entertainment will represent numerous countries with Irish, Indian, Chinese, Mexican, and Polynesian dance; Japanese drumming; martial arts; and more. A variety of ethnic tastes from local restaurants will have menu favorites available for purchase, including Cherry Blossom and PDQ Sandwiches. The children's craft area will have children busy working on fun creations and the Novi Farmers' Market vendors will be selling gifts and produce.

According to the 2010 U.S. Census, Novi’s Asian population doubled in percentage to 15.9 percent and the African American population increased to 8 percent over the past 10 years. Hundreds of international businesses call Novi their home, including more than 60 from Japan and 20 from Germany. In 2011, for its cultural diversity, youth engagement, and progressive thinking, naming it one of the best towns for families to live in. When polled by the National Research Center in 2010, a leading research firm known for its comprehensive studies of citizen perceptions and views, Novi residents rated their community much above the national average in openness and acceptance of people from diverse backgrounds.