Wenatchee Valley Museum plans MLK festival, cultural events for early 2025

WENATCHEE — The Wenatchee Valley Museum and Cultural Center will host two major multicultural events in early 2025, featuring local performances, cultural displays, and a distinguished academic lecture.

The museum's Martin Luther King Jr. Multicultural Fest, scheduled for January 18, will showcase diverse cultural and heritage groups from the Wenatchee Valley region. The free event, running from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., will include traditional performances from local groups, including Eastmont High School Mariachi, Wenatchee High School Mariachi, An Daire Academy of Irish Dance, Wenatchee High School Folklórico Club, and tribal elder Randy Lewis.

The Indigenous Roots and Reparation Foundation will host an outdoor Salmon Bake during the festival, accepting donations from attendees.

The event will also serve as the venue for the City of Wenatchee's 2025 Uplift Awards ceremony. This year's nominees include several community leaders: Steven Hightower, Catholic Charities Behavioral Health and Crisis Program Director; Stephen Krake, Public Defender; Claudia Bovee, NCW Libraries Latino Services Manager; and Mina Gomez, Edward Jones Financial Advisor.

Organizations nominated for the awards include OUT-North Central Washington, the Community for the Advancement of Family Education (CAFÉ), the Interfaith Justice Coalition, and the Wenatchee Valley Dispute Resolution Center.

In February, the museum will host Dr. Itohan M. Idumwonyi, a Gonzaga University professor, for a lecture on Ubuntu philosophy. The February 7 presentation will explore community building and human interconnectedness. The free lecture is sponsored by Gesa Credit Union and presented in partnership with Humanities Washington.

The Wenatchee Valley Museum and Cultural Center operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with support from the cities of Wenatchee and East Wenatchee. The institution focuses on preserving and celebrating regional history, arts, sciences, and cultural diversity.

For additional information about these events, visit wenatcheevalleymuseum.org or call (509)-888-6240.