MLK Multicultural Fest returns Jan. 17 with performances, exhibits, Uplift Awards

WENATCHEE VALLEY — The Wenatchee Valley Museum and Cultural Center will again serve as a gathering place for the broader region when it hosts its annual Martin Luther King Jr. Multicultural Fest later this month, welcoming residents from across the Wenatchee Valley for a day centered on culture, learning, and shared community.

Scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 17, the free festival runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the museum in downtown Wenatchee, at 127 S. Mission Street. The event is designed not as a neighborhood program, but as a regional one — an open invitation to families and visitors from throughout North Central Washington to come together in a space meant to be shared.

Much like other valley-wide institutions, such as the YMCA, regional fire services, or the humane society, the museum positions events like the Multicultural Fest as opportunities for people from Malaga to Manson, Waterville to Leavenworth, and everywhere in between to feel ownership in a common civic resource.

Throughout the day, visitors can explore cultural booths hosted by community organizations and groups representing the many traditions and backgrounds that shape life in the valley. The festival emphasizes hands-on learning, with interactive displays and activities intended to be accessible for all ages, encouraging families to move through the space together and learn from one another.

Live performances are also scheduled throughout the event, showcasing music and dance rooted in a range of cultural traditions. In past years, those performances have been a central draw, turning the museum into a lively, shared space where art and heritage are experienced collectively rather than observed at a distance.

One of the festival’s featured moments will be the presentation of the Wenatchee Valley Uplift Award, which recognizes individuals or organizations whose work has strengthened civil rights, inclusion, and equity in the region. Nominations for this year’s award closed last month and have already been reviewed, with the Multicultural Fest serving as the public setting for the award’s presentation.

The Multicultural Fest has become an annual reminder of the museum’s role beyond its exhibits: It’s not just as a place to preserve history, but as a space where the valley’s present-day community can gather, reflect, and celebrate together. Organizers encourage residents from across the region to attend, whether they are longtime supporters of the museum or first-time visitors.

The event is free and open to the public. Additional details about programming and activities are available through the museum’s website.

Andrew Simpson: 509-433-7626 or andrew@ward.media