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WORLAND – The 15th annual CultureFest in the back field of the Worland Community Center Complex (WCCC) on Saturday will have a little bit of something for everyone, no matter how young or old. The all-day community celebration will feature entertainment, food and craft vendors, a petting zoo, dunking booth and many more activities that will make for a fun-filled day for the entire family.

“This really is a community event. We are doing it for the community,” WCCC special events manager Sheryl Ley said.

The first CultureFest was in 2001 and has grown each year getting bigger and better. The original CultureFest was held on Big Horn Avenue but was moved to the back field of the WCCC for the 2010 event. Ley said they average anywhere from 500 to 1,000 people attending CultureFest. The larger crowds come when the weather is nice.

The entertainment is diverse from country music to bagpipes with some dancing in-between. The Grace Chapel Praise Team will be performing from 9:15 – 9:45 a.m. and 2:45 – 3:30 p.m. Tim Carroll will be playing the bagpipes from 10 – 10:30 a.m. and 2:10 – 2:30 p.m. Rattlesnake Ridge will be performing at 10:35 – 11:05 a.m. and again from 3:45 – 5 p.m. The Beautiful Feet Dancers from Casper will be entertaining from 11:15 – 11:45 a.m. and 1:15 – 2 p.m. The Silver Tip String band will be playing from noon – 12:30 p.m.

While enjoying the entertainment event goers can explore the many different vendors that will be offering items such as crafts, small business products, food and non-profit information. “We have close to 40 vendors,” Ley said.

Some vendors have been coming to CultureFest for many years as event goers and then vendors. Katianne Muller has attended the event for years and this will be her second year as a vendor for her Scentsy and Scenegence products. “I like going to it because I just think all around it’s a great event. I had a big success last year and I am really looking forward to being in it again this year. I think it’s a great way to promote my business,” she said. “I think that it is a positive family-oriented event for the whole community. It has free admission, so anyone can come,” she added.

John McMartin, owner of Wyo Got BBQ, has also been coming to CultureFest for years and this will also be his second year as a vendor at the event. “I think it’s a good event for the community,” he said. He will be selling barbecue foods such as pulled pork tacos, brisket, smoked pizza and a surprise item.

New to the event this year will be the addition of graffiti artist and former Worland resident Jackson Hendrickson. “I’m excited about it and a little nervous,” he said. “Just the word graffiti puts the wrong spin on it, because when people think graffiti they think train cars and get the wrong opinion,” he added.

Hendrickson will be creating art pieces at the event and also helping others create their own art pieces. “I am going to go ahead and set up the easels and bring out the cans. People can come in they can kinda go loose a little bit and paint. And then we are going to hang them (art work) in the community center,” he said. “I’m hoping that this will inspire kids to do their own art and display it in the community center. Having their art displayed in a place like the community center makes them feel a part of something,” he added.

The event will begin at 9 a.m. with an opening presentation with Mayor Dave Duffy greeting the community, the national anthem will be sung by Rhea White and “America the Beautiful” sung by Hailee Hunt.