WEIRTON — Area residents are invited to “Travel the world, without a passport,” with the return of Weirton’s Festival of Nations.

The celebration of local history and culture, organized by the Weirton Area Museum and Cultural Center, will be held 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 22 at the Millsop Community Center. It is open to the public, and there is no charge to attend.

The original Festival of Nations ran from 1934 until 1944, organized by employees of Weirton Steel and inspired by a 1929 pageant held at Weir High School.

“At the time, there were many ethnicities coming into the area,” Festival Committee Chair Dr. J.K. Luthra explained.

The original festival was held on Labor Day weekend and included a pageant showcasing the various nationalities represented by the people of Weirton, along with cultural songs and dances, and competitions among the employee departments of Weirton Steel.

Decades later, a group of volunteers decided to bring the festival back in observance of the centennial of Weirton Steel’s founding.

“We thought it would be good to revise it in 2009,” Luthra said.

Held first at the Weirton Event Center, it was later moved to the Millsop Community Center and included a parade showcasing cultural groups taking part in each year’s celebration, as well as food, dances, and informational displays.

The modern festival was held annually through 2019, being canceled in 2020 as a result of the COVID pandemic.

This year’s festival will begin with a hoisting of the flags by members of the American Legion Post 10 Honor Guard, followed by the singing of the national anthem by Councilman Tim Connell, opening remarks by Mayor Dean Harris and a welcome from Luthra.

Performances throughout the day will include the Weir High Concert Band, Sanskruti School of Indian Dance and Music, Betsy McFarland, Grecian Odyssey Dancers, Sheena Chopra, Yanlai Dance Academy, Ohio Valley Folk Society, Folkloric Dance Ensemble, the DiBacco Sisters, Filipino American Association of Pittsburgh and Bob Gaudio.

Food available will be reflective of cuisines from the United States, Italy, African-American cultures, Russia, Greece, and India, with display tables set to represent Greece, India, Punjab, Poland, Native Americans, frontier persons and women of history.

Information tables will be available from the Weirton Museum, the Top of West Virginia Convention and Visitors Bureau, Weirton Heights Rotary, and the William Penn Association.