World Food & Music Festival Announces The Original Wailers As Headlining Band Along With Other Music And Programming

GREATER DES MOINES,Iowa,Aug. 20,2021 -- The World Food & Music Festival has announced its musical acts as well as more programming elements. The World Food & Music Festival will return on Friday,Sept. 17 – Sunday,Sept. 19 at Western Gateway Park in Downtown Des Moines (DSM).

The Original Wailers,a musical group that includes Al Anderson,an original member of Bob Marley and The Wailers,will be the headliner for the entertainment at this year's Festival on Saturday night at 8:30 p.m. That performance is presented by Prairie Meadows. The Original Wailers continue the legacy of Bob Marley's music. Prior to The Original Wailers,local band The Maytags will take the stage on Saturday evening with their modern take on classic soul. On Friday evening,The Festival will be headlined by the Dick Danger Band,a funky7-pieceTop 40/R&B bandplaying anything from Bruno Mars to Phil Collins,Jimi Hendrix and a lot of Prince. The rest of the Main Stage lineup includes a plethora of musical acts including Ace Jones,Dueling Fiddles,Good Night Gold Dust,Guitarras ATM,Joshua Sinclair,Lani,Monkey 3 and NOLA Jazz Band. You can find the full schedule of performers and descriptions on The Festival's website.

"We are excited to welcome The Original Wailers as a headlining act at the World Food & Music Festival," said Julie Stewart,Vice President of Community Relations at Prairie Meadows. "The band's iconic style will add even more vibrancy to this event that celebrates tastes and sounds from across the globe."

The Festival has also announced more programming elements. The Principal Cultural Stagewill feature musicians and dancers showcasing culturally diverse performances. The lineup has also been announced for the Cultural Activity Pavilion presented by Global Atlantic Financial Group,which offers a virtual trip around the world with workshops,interactive presentations and hands-on activities. Festival cultural programming is coordinated in partnership with CultureALL.

As previously announced,The Festival will againkick off with a Naturalization Ceremony for the U.S. District Court in whichindividualsfrom countries around the worldwill become U.S. citizens.The Meredith Culinary Discovery Pavilion willhost local chefs to demonstrate their skills and offer samples. The Fruit Adventure Tent presented by Voya Financial will offer a unique experience to celebrate fruit from around the world.The MidAmerican Energy Company Cooking Challenge pits four teams against one another in a high-energy,high-stakes race to assemble the perfect meal.See the full lineupof programming.

The Festival's lineup of 42 food vendors represents 25 countries. A total of 15 of the vendors are new this year. Menus will be marked to denote items that aregluten free,dairy free,vegetarian or vegan. Attendees can vote for their favorite food vendor in the People's Choice Contest presented by EZ FM by visiting Facebook.com/WorldFoodFestival.

"The 2021 World Food & Music Festival will feature a vibrant lineup of talented musicians,engaging programming and delicious food with a global flavor," said Colleen Murphy,Downtown Events Director for the Greater Des Moines Partnership. "This event further establishes Greater Des Moines as a global city."

Those interested in volunteering can sign upfor a slot on The Festival's Website. Learn more and keep up to date on the latest Festival information on the World Food & Music Festival's website.

The World Food & Music Festival is sponsored by Bravo Greater Des Moines,ATC – American Technology Consulting,MidAmerican Energy Company,Nationwide,Principal,Global Atlantic Financial Group,Meredith Corporation,Polk County Board of Supervisors,Prairie Meadows,Voya Financial,Atlantic Coca-Cola Bottling Company,Bankers Trust,Veridian Credit Union,Thrive Family Chiropractic,UnityPoint Health – Des Moines,VERO,104.1 EZ FM and WHO TV 13.

About the Greater Des Moines Partnership

The Greater Des Moines Partnership is the economic and community development organization that serves Greater Des Moines (DSM),Iowa. Together with 24 Affiliate Chambers of Commerce,more than 6,500 Regional Business Members and more than 365 Investors,The Partnership drives economic growth with one voice,one mission and as one region. Through innovation,strategic planning and global collaboration,ThePartnership grows opportunity,helps create jobs and promotes DSM as the best place to build a business,a career and a future. Learn more atDSMpartnership.com.

Contact:

Courtney Shaw

cshaw@DSMpartnership.com

(515) 286-4919

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