Culture Fest
Join us for the Columbia Pike Culture Fest!
A Celebration of Arts & Culture on The Pike
Date: Saturday, April 18th, 2026
Time: 12:00pm – 6:00pm
Location: Arlington Mill Community Center
The Pike Culture Fest is Columbia Pike Partnership’s first-ever multicultural festival, celebrating the incredible diversity that makes Columbia Pike one of the most vibrant corridors in the region. From international food and performances to family-friendly activities and community engagement, this event brings together cultures, stories, and traditions from around the world, right here on the Pike.
The Pike Culture Fest is designed to honor the Columbia Pike diversity while creating an inclusive, joyful space for families, neighbors, and visitors to connect. Hosted at Arlington Mill, a longtime cultural and community hub on the Pike, the festival provides a central, accessible location for residents and visitors to gather and celebrate.
What to Expect?
- Diverse Vendors
Artisans, makers, and small businesses offering culturally inspired goods, crafts, and products. - Local Nonprofits & Community Organizations
Local and regional organizations serving immigrant, multicultural, and international communities. - Live Performances
Dancers, singers, musicians, and artists representing cultures from across the globe-traditional and contemporary. - International Food
A curated mix of Pike-based restaurants and food vendors showcasing flavors from around the world. - Family & Kid-Friendly Activities
Interactive cultural activities, art stations, and experiences designed for all ages.
Performer Schedule
Gunston Steppers
12:00 PM – 12:30 PM
The Gunston Step Team, founded in 2021 by Ms. Rayla Parquet, is dedicated to showcasing the rich tradition and artistry of stepping. Our mission is to foster unity, discipline, and self-expression through the art of step. We strive to build confidence, teamwork, and leadership skills while celebrating the creativity and culture of stepping.
Over the past four years, the Gunston Steppers have proudly represented our school at numerous events, both on campus and throughout Arlington County. Our performances have been featured at school celebrations as well as community programs, including Arlington’s Feel the Heritage Festival, Arlington’s Annual MLK Tribute and the Halls Hill/High View Park Juneteenth Festival, where we share the vibrant culture of stepping with audiences of all ages.
Through every performance, we aim to empower each member to find their voice, contribute to a positive community, and represent Gunston with pride and excellence.
#Dance #American
Arlington Children’s Chorus
12:30 – 1:00 PM
The Arlington Children’s Chorus (ACC) is a vibrant, community-based choral program serving young singers across Arlington, Virginia. ACC provides high-quality music education and performance opportunities for children of all backgrounds, nurturing not only vocal excellence but also confidence, discipline, and a lifelong love of music.
Through tiered ensembles—Troubadour, Dolce, and Bel Canto—choristers develop their musicianship while building community and cultural awareness. ACC regularly performs throughout the region, bringing joyful, expressive music to diverse audiences and community spaces. Rooted in a commitment to access and belonging, ACC supports families through scholarships and inclusive programming, ensuring that every child has the opportunity to experience the transformative power of singing. At the Pike Culture Fest, ACC is proud to share music that reflects both the energy of young voices and the spirit of community that defines Arlington.
#Music #American
Sentimiento Peruano USA
1:00 PM – 1:20 PM
Sentimiento Peruano USA es una academia especializada en la Marinera Norteña. La academia lleva la enseñanza del cajon peruano y otras danzas del Peru.
Sentimiento Peruano USA is an academy specializing in Marinera Norteña. The academy also teaches Peruvian cajón and other traditional dances from Peru.
#Dance #Music #Peruvian
Gia Dulci
1:20 PM – 2:00 PM
Gia Dulci is a powerhouse vocalist and songwriter from the San Francisco Bay Area. Her music blends upbeat soul, jazz, and moody blues-pop. Gia is backed by her five-piece band, delivering sultry saxophone riffs and high-energy guitar solos. With over 15 years of vocal training and a background in dance, Gia and her band deliver a complete stage experience, merging modern edge with old-school glamour. Her latest single, “I Got A Man,” is available now on all platforms.
#Music #Soul Jazz
Los Quetzales
2:00 PM – 2:30 PM
Los Quetzales Mexican Dance Ensemble, founded in Arlington, VA in 1998, by its Executive and Artistic Director, Laura Ortiz. Los Quetzales is supported in part by Arlington County, Arlington Economic Development through their Cultural Affairs Division, and by the Arlington Commission for the Arts. Since its beginnings, Los Quetzales has collaborated with other local Arlington County supported groups, performing at their various local events, such as the International Festivals, Hispanic Heritage Month Celebrations, Arlington County School events, and festivals, and Parish festivals at St. Anne’s Catholic Church.
#Dance #Mexican
DMV Qipao
2:30 PM – 3:00 PM
DMV Qipao Fashion and Dance Group is a cultural group dedicated to celebrating and sharing the beauty, elegance, and history of the qipao (cheongsam), a traditional Chinese dress that reflects centuries of artistry and identity. Through performances, showcases, and community engagement, we highlight the grace and cultural significance of this iconic garment. The group brings together individuals from across the DMV region who are passionate about cultural expression, heritage, and storytelling through fashion and movement. By blending tradition with modern interpretation, we create meaningful connections and invite the community to experience the richness of Chinese culture in an accessible and engaging way.
#Dance/Fashion #Chinese
MFK Afro
3:00 PM – 3:30 PM
The mission of MFK Afro is to teach, showcase, and celebrate vibrant Afro-dance styles through community classes, immersive experiences, and creative visual storytelling. Whether you’re a beginner eager to learn or a seasoned dancer looking to deepen your connection, MFK Afro is a home for authentic expression and joyful movement. Through each experience, Thelma creates spaces that inspire, empower, and unite the community. What’s next? Continue the fun by joining Thelma’s Afro-dance Workshop on Sunday, April 19th: https://linktr.ee/MFKAfro”
Dancers: Thelma Sabi (Choreographer/Teacher/Dancer) and Michelle Appiah (Dancer)
#Dance/Interactive #Afro-dance
40 Miles Home
3:30 PM – 4:00 PM
Forty Miles Home is a Northern Virginia-based band that combines elements of roots, bluegrass, blues, alt-country, indie and rock and roll for a sound that is all their own. 40MH creates a relaxed, feel-good vibe and audiences can’t help but smile, dance or sing along. We play at public and private events around the DC area such as multiple engagements at the: Arlington County Fair, Westover Beer Garden, Celtic House, Paradise Springs Winery and others. Our set list includes a number of original songs as well as covers. Forty Miles Home includes: Steve Schaible (Vocals and acoustic guitar), Scott Hoffman (Vocals, acoustic guitar and mandolin), Peter Neubauer (Vocals and bass guitar), Dave Foerter (Harmonica), Lou King (Vocals and drums) and Karen Osterloh (Fiddle and mandolin).
#Music #Rock/Americana
Prakriti Dance
4:00 PM – 4:30 PM
Prakriti Dance is an innovative performing company based in the United States, specializing in the Indian classical dance form of Kuchipudi. Under the artistic direction of Kasi Aysola, a renowned Kuchipudi dancer and choreographer, the company celebrates its 10th anniversary in 2025, marking a decade of dynamic contributions to Indian dance in the modern world.
Prakriti Dance draws from India’s rich movement vocabulary to interpret both traditional and contemporary themes through performance. The company crafts original works that blend storytelling, philosophy, poetry, nature, and sound to transcend cultural boundaries and explore the human experience. With a bold, interdisciplinary approach, Prakriti aims to evolve the Indian aesthetic in conversation with the world today.
Prakriti’s original productions include Prakriti: Faces of Goddess Earth, Amba Shikhandi: A Journey of Courage, Through Fish Eyes, and its latest creation, Ritual of Identity, which premieres in 2025 to mark a decade of boundary-breaking work. The company has toured both traditional and original choreography at prominent venues and festivals such as Jacob’s Pillow 90th Anniversary Festival (MA), The Kennedy Center (DC), Atlas INTERSECTIONS Festival (DC), Drive East (NYC), Spring to Dance (MI), and the Kuchipudi 50th Flag Festival in India.
Prakriti Dance is also deeply committed to access and education. The company has brought Indian dance and storytelling to over 80 schools across the Washington, D.C. area and regularly offers public workshops, university masterclasses, and Kuchipudi training to both emerging and professional artists.
Prakriti’s original dance works have been supported by organizations such as the Arts & Humanities Council of Montgomery County, Barr Foundation, Maryland State Arts Council, National Academies Keck Futures Initiative, The Boston Foundation, and the Boston Cultural Council.
Through performance, teaching, and creative collaboration, Prakriti continues to forge a dynamic, diasporic voice for Indian dance in the modern world.”
#Dance #Indian
Caporales San Simon USA
4:30 PM – 5:00 PM
Caporales San Simón USA is a vibrant cultural dance group dedicated to preserving and promoting the rich traditions of Bolivian folklore, with a focus on the energetic and visually striking Caporales dance. Through powerful performances, the group showcases the rhythm, strength, and storytelling embedded in this iconic style, blending tradition with contemporary expression. More than a dance group, Caporales San Simón USA is a community that fosters cultural pride, discipline, and connection across generations. Their work celebrates Bolivian heritage while creating space for cultural exchange, bringing people together through music, movement, and shared identity.”
#Dance #Bolivian
Malikat Al Dabke
5:00 PM – 5:30 PM
Malikat Al Dabke (Queens of Dabke) is the first all-women’s dabke troupe in the DC, Maryland and Virginia (DMV) area, specializing in performing and teaching Palestinian, Lebanese and Iraqi dabke/chobi, zaffe wedding procession and bass drums called tabls. They also incorporate into their performances singing, ululations and aweeha, and teach the history, cultural significance and percussion beats related to dabke music and dance across generations and communities.
Fairouz Foty, co-founder of Quartertonez Music School, was inspired to create a space through dabke for women based on a mutual love for dance and Arab/SWANA culture to spread its joy across generations. This space naturally developed into a collaborative, professional dance troupe, starting in January 2023, and is made up of dedicated Arab American women who work every day to preserve their identities through dabke and resist erasure and appropriation. Please visit our website at www.malikataldabke.com for more information about our work and services, as well as our social outlets including Linktree, Malikat Al Dabke Instagram, and Malikat Al Dabke TikTok.
#Dance #Palestinian #Iranian #Lebanese