PEABODY — Downtown was blocked off to cars and opened up to tens of thousands of people celebrating culture, food, music, and diversity at the International Festival on Sunday.
Sandwiched between two concert stages, Main Street was shut down and filled with people.
This year’s festival featured performances from bands and dancers representing cultures and food booths serving eats from around the world. Clubs and organizations from across the city were represented and present to support the event.
Mayor Peter Torigian, who died in 2004, founded the International Festival in 1984 with the goal of giving “an opportunity for neighbor to meet neighbor, while celebrating and appreciating each other’s culture,” according to the festival’s website.
Last year’s festival was canceled due to weather, but the city responded by flooding the streets themselves this year.
“This is really the signature event for the City of Peabody… to celebrate our diversity,” Mayor Ted Bettencourt said. “People from around the world came to America — came to Peabody — to build better lives for themselves, for their families, and in doing so, made our city very strong in a place where so many enjoy and live in the city of Peabody. It’s something to celebrate.”
He announced the recipient of this year’s Peter Torigian International Festival Spirit Award is Tim Brown, Northeast Arc’s chief innovation and strategy officer.
The yearly award is given “to a person that distinguishes themselves by going that extra mile and volunteering and helping the city,” specifically with the International Festival, Bettencourt said.
“He has built his career helping the Northeast Arc fulfill its noble mission, and in the process, has changed the lives of thousands of individuals and families,” he said.
The city continues to support the work he does with Northeast Arc, he said.
“The city’s embracing of people of all abilities and making a home for them throughout our businesses, throughout the businesses in downtown, throughout the restaurants and throughout the community,” Brown said.
“I’m standing up here in awe of the City of Peabody,” Brown said when he received the award.
Bettencourt thanked the state and local officials who attended the festival, including State Auditor Diana DiZoglio, Essex County District Attorney Paul Tucker, Essex County Sheriff Kevin F. Coppinger, State Sen. Joan Lovely, State Rep. Tom Walsh, and State Rep. Sally Kerans.
“This is my favorite event every year to come to,” DiZoglio said.
She acknowledged the small business who contributed to the event.
“Small businesses… are the backbone of our community. They are creating jobs. They are making sure that we have a thriving system of economic development here in the great City of Peabody and beyond, and they’re all up here lining up and down these streets,” DiZoglio said.
“This is awesome. This is unbelievable,” Coppinger said. “When you pick up the paper and listen to the news today, there’s so much craziness going on around the world each and every day. It is so nice just to get together with everybody — be inclusive, be friendly, know your neighbor, try all the different foods.”
Kerans said she has been attending the festival for decades and its spirit is about sharing food and music with other cultures.
