Eastern and Central Europe . . . At Home

Today was the second day of Dayton's International Festival, A World A'Fair. This is an especially interesting annual tradition for the city, when the various ethnic clubs get to share their traditional food, merchandise, and entertainment. Dayton has a significant Eastern European population (my great-grandmother came from Lithuania and somehow ended up in Ohio), and the Poles, Russians, Hungarians, the Czechs and Slovaks, and South Slavs all had booths set up at the Convention Center that warranted multiple visits. (Photos of food, costumes, and souvenirs forthcoming!)

Even if you can't travel to Eastern Europe whenever it strikes your fancy, most diverse communities have organizations representing specific ethnic groups. They may hold events and concerts throughout the year or participate in international festivals like A World A'Fair. It's well worth it to seek these events out. They act as cultural samplers to whet your appetite all the more for serious travel experience.