The Richmond International Dance Festival, hosted by Culture Encounters, is Richmond’s only multicultural dance festival. This event highlights the power of dance as a universal language, offering youth and adult workshops led by instructors from diverse cultures, including India, the Philippines,  Africa, and around the world. The festival aims to unite attendees of all backgrounds, fostering understanding and appreciation of cultural diversity. The inaugural festival on September 7, 2024, featured dance performances, a food fair, and community vendors, promoting cultural appreciation through the arts.

The festival is set to be an annual program, contributing to the broader goals of Culture Encounters to address discrimination, celebrate immigrant communities, and create a platform for intercultural dialogue and exchange. It reflects the organization’s vision to use the arts to connect communities, enrich lives, and create social cohesion within Richmond and beyond.