Reston has always been a town that honors diversity — its planners and developers emphasized from the beginning that people of all races and incomes were warmly welcomed. Now Reston has a beautifully diverse and progressive population, and the annual Reston Multicultural Festival is a perfect way to celebrate it.
Every September, Lake Anne Plaza fills with dancers, musicians, crafts, foods, costumes, and hundreds of people from all over the world. I love this festival and rave about it every year.
I photographed the festival for Reston Community Center, who hosted it. I love working with RCC and documenting their excellent community events. (But this festival is a personal favorite!) Here are some of the many delightful scenes from the 2019 Reston Multicultural Festival.
![Beverly Cosham sings God Bless America](https://charlottegeary.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Reston-Multicultural-Festival-01.jpg)
![Fairfax County Supervisor Cathy Hudgins](https://charlottegeary.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Reston-Multicultural-Festival-02.jpg)
![American flags at a US naturalization ceremony](https://charlottegeary.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Reston-Multicultural-Festival-03.jpg)
![US naturalization ceremony](https://charlottegeary.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Reston-Multicultural-Festival-04.jpg)
![Performer with Nomad Dancers](https://charlottegeary.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Reston-Multicultural-Festival-05-1.jpg)
![Bolivian dance performance by Tradiciones Bolivianas](https://charlottegeary.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Reston-Multicultural-Festival-06.jpg)
![Origami instruction](https://charlottegeary.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Reston-Multicultural-Festival-07.jpg)
![Gin Dance Company](https://charlottegeary.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Reston-Multicultural-Festival-09.jpg)
![Nomad Dancers](https://charlottegeary.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Reston-Multicultural-Festival-08.jpg)
![Black Storyteller Linda Goss](https://charlottegeary.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Reston-Multicultural-Festival-10.jpg)
![Performer with Slavic Folk Group LADA](https://charlottegeary.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Reston-Multicultural-Festival-11.jpg)
![Gin Dance Company](https://charlottegeary.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Reston-Multicultural-Festival-14.jpg)
![corn on the cob](https://charlottegeary.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Reston-Multicultural-Festival-12.jpg)
![Tradiciones Bolivianas](https://charlottegeary.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Reston-Multicultural-Festival-13.jpg)
![Shu-Chen Cuff with Gin Dance Company](https://charlottegeary.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Reston-Multicultural-Festival-16.jpg)
![Folk Ensemble LADA](https://charlottegeary.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Reston-Multicultural-Festival-15.jpg)
![National Heritage Fellowship medal](https://charlottegeary.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Reston-Multicultural-Festival-17.jpg)
![Bellydancers with Raqs El Hob](https://charlottegeary.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Reston-Multicultural-Festival-18.jpg)
![Bellydancers with Raqs El Hob](https://charlottegeary.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Reston-Multicultural-Festival-20.jpg)
![Slavic folk group LADA](https://charlottegeary.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Reston-Multicultural-Festival-21.jpg)
![New Line Brass Band](https://charlottegeary.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Reston-Multicultural-Festival-24.jpg)
![Gin Dance Company](https://charlottegeary.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Reston-Multicultural-Festival-23.jpg)
![LADA Folk Group](https://charlottegeary.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Reston-Multicultural-Festival-26.jpg)
![Kimono dress-up booth](https://charlottegeary.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Reston-Multicultural-Festival-25.jpg)
![Black storytelling](https://charlottegeary.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Reston-Multicultural-Festival-27.jpg)
![Tradiciones Bolivianas](https://charlottegeary.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Reston-Multicultural-Festival-29.jpg)
![Slavic dancers](https://charlottegeary.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Reston-Multicultural-Festival-31.jpg)
![New Line Brass Band](https://charlottegeary.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Reston-Multicultural-Festival-30.jpg)
![Foley Academy of Irish Dance](https://charlottegeary.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Reston-Multicultural-Festival-32.jpg)
![Kids' crafts](https://charlottegeary.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Reston-Multicultural-Festival-33.jpg)
To see more photos like these, check out my Events gallery. If you’d like me to photograph an event for you or your organization, please get in touch. I’d love to hear from you.
Related posts:
Photos from the 2018 Reston Multicultural Festival
Photos from the 2016 Reston Multicultural Festival
Photos from the 2014 Reston Multicultural Festival
Interview: A feature in Northern Virginia Magazine about the Reston Multicultural Festival
The first annual Lake Anne SUP Triathlon was a total riot
The Lake Anne Cardboard Boat Regatta gets bigger and more hilarious each year
Bristol’s Upfest: Europe’s largest street art and graffiti festival
The Northern Virginia Fine Arts Festival at Reston Town Center