It’s all hands on deck for the 9th edition of the Igbo World Festival of Arts and Culture.

The festival, which celebrates Ndigbo from around the world is hosted by the Council of Igbo States in America (CISA).

A statement issued by CISA’s Publicity & Media Director, Mathias Mgbeafulu explained that the 2022 in-person festival will happen at Frontier Museum, Igbo Farm Village, Staunton, Virginia. The festival will also kick off from July 28 to July 30, 2022. The last two festivals had to be held virtually due to the worldwide effects of the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdowns.

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The statement read in part;

“CISA is therefore happy to invite Igbo people worldwide, well-wishers and lovers of arts and culture to this year’s Igbo World Festival of Arts and Culture slated for the weekend of July 28, 29, and 30, 2022 in Frontier Museum, Igbo Farm Village, Staunton, Virginia, U.S.A.

“This special and vibrant fun-filled live and field event is designed to parade the beauty of Igbo cultural heritage in all ramifications and which over the years have witnessed contingents from Africa, North America, South America, Asia, and Europe.

“Since its initial opening in 2008, participants had come from different countries namely – USA, Colombia, Canada, Mali, South Africa, Liberia, Cameroun, Ghana, London, Nigeria, Gabon, Trinidad and Togo, Jamaica, Haiti and Barbados.

“CISA urges all to come and witness one of its most unique and amazing cultural exhibitions of Ndigbo outside Nigeria. The festival displays to the world the peculiarities of Ndigbo, their roots, cultural heritage, and cross-continental influences to foster brotherhood among their fellow African American kindreds and to all humanity.

“For CISA, this festival is one way Igbo-Nigerian traditions can better be exposed and their contributions to world development can firmly be cast in bold relief.

“Unique cultural and artistic works of the Igbo people are exhibited with pomp and pageantry. This is a celebration Ndigbo, Nigerians, their friends and well-wishers cannot afford to miss.”

The first edition of the Igbo World Festival of Arts and Culture took place in 2014 and was a huge success. The event hosted hundreds of Igbo people and culture enthusiasts from several countries.