Columbia International Festival

What Columbia International Festival does

Columbia International Festival (CIF) is a Columbia, South Carolina-based nonprofit community organization that has produced an annual multicultural festival since at least 2012, held at the SC State Fairgrounds (Cantey & Goodman Buildings). The two-day event (Saturday 10am-7pm, Sunday 12pm-7pm) features national exhibits representing approximately 110 countries, an International Bazaar of imported arts and crafts, an International Food Court, cultural performances, a Parade of Nations, and traditional costume fashion shows. Beyond the public festival, CIF operates Global Education Day (GED), a school-targeted kickoff event that serves up to 3,000 K-12 students annually, with curriculum alignment to South Carolina standards in Social Studies, World Languages, and Arts, and free admission for Title One schools. The festival is led by Festival Director Raj Aluri, Ed.D., and operates through a volunteer committee structure.

The organization's revenue model is event-driven and diversified across five transactional streams: general admission ticket sales ($10 adults, $7 teens 13-19, free for young children and GED Title One students), bazaar vendor booth fees ($600 per booth), food vendor booth fees (no fee for first booth, $150 for optional second, $350 refundable deposit), service organization booth fees ($300 minimum donation), and tiered corporate sponsorships (Sustaining, Platinum, Gold, Silver tiers plus Education and Media partner categories). Marketing is conducted through a media sponsor network of regional radio stations and newspapers, email newsletter, YouTube video recaps dating to 2012, and direct school outreach for GED registration. Ticketing is sold online via the Cola Daily presale platform and at the gate (cash only as of 2025, with free parking introduced that year). Technology infrastructure is minimal — the organization uses a Wix-based website for information and registration, with no proprietary platform, API, or AI/ML capabilities. Operating status is active with CIF 2026 (April 17-19, 2026) and CIF 2027 (April 17-18, 2027) already announced.

Name

Columbia International Festival

Legal name

Columbia International Festival

Website

https://cifonline.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Columbia International Festival is a Columbia, SC nonprofit that produces an annual two-day multicultural festival featuring ~110 country exhibits, international food, bazaar vendors, and cultural performances, serving the general public plus up to 3,000 K-12 students through Global Education Day.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cultural Festival & Community Events

NAICS

Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (711310)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Local Community & Multi-Category Fairs (MPAGAFAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cultural Festivals & Events Organizations (BPAGAHAG), Cultural & Community Festivals (Ticketed) (THAJAFAI), Food, Drink & Culinary Community Festivals (Community-Led) (MPAGAEAF)

Keywords

• Cultural festival events
• Multicultural community celebration
• International food fair
• Cultural education programs
• Ethnic arts bazaar

Headquarters

HQ city

Columbia

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. General Admission Tickets: Ticket sales for festival admission. 2-day admission: $10 for adults, $7 for teens (13-19). Children under specified age admitted free. Free parking included.
2. Bazaar Vendor Booth Fees: International Bazaar vendor booths at $600 per booth (non-refundable). Second booth available for $150 additional fee.
3. Food Vendor Booth Fees: No booth fee for first food booth. $150 non-refundable fee for optional second booth. $350 deposit returned after festival completion.
4. Service Organization Booth Fees: Minimum donation of $300 for one booth. Additional booth available for $150.
5. Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate sponsors at multiple tiers (Sustaining, Platinum, Gold, Silver) provide financial support and receive visibility at the event.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Columbia International Festival operates an annual two-day multicultural festival at the SC State Fairgrounds in Columbia, SC, featuring national exhibits from approximately 110 countries, an International Food Court, International Bazaar vendor marketplace, cultural performances, Parade of Nations, fashion shows, and the Global Education Day school program. The organization sells admission tickets at the gate and online, charges booth fees to vendors across bazaar, food, and service categories, and operates a multi-tier corporate sponsorship program.

Product overview

Columbia International Festival is a cultural event organization offering a multi-faceted annual festival experience centered around cultural celebration and education. The core offering is the two-day Columbia International Festival featuring national exhibits, an International Food Court, International Bazaar, and cultural performances. The organization also operates Global Education Day as a dedicated educational component for school children, plus awards programs recognizing international community achievement. All offerings are coordinated through a Wix-based website for information and ticketing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Columbia International Festival Annual Event Annual two-day multicultural festival held at SC State Fairgrounds in Columbia, SC, showcasing music, culture, food, and performing arts from various countries represented in South Carolina. Features national exhibits, international food court, bazaar vendors, fashion shows, parade of nations, and cultural performances.
• Global Education Day (GED) Educational kickoff event for the festival held at SC State Fairgrounds, designed for school children (grades 3-10) to learn about cultural diversity in South Carolina. Students receive CIF Passports and visit booths representing over 100 countries, watch cultural dances, and shop at the International Bazaar. Aligned with SC educational standards in Social Studies, World Languages, and Arts.
• International Bazaar Vendor Booths Marketplace at the festival featuring international arts, crafts, souvenirs, and culturally authentic items for sale. Open to SC resident vendors whose items reflect their country's national character. Booth fee is $600 non-refundable; additional booth available for $150.
• International Food Court Culinary section featuring authentic international cuisine from various countries including India, Mexico, Poland, Philippines, Korea, France, Peru, and Spain. Food purchased using $1 coupons. First food booth has no fee; optional second booth is $150 with a $350 refundable deposit.
• Service Organization Booths Booths for South Carolina service organizations and educational institutions to showcase their work serving the international community. Minimum donation of $300 for one booth; additional booth available for $150.
• Cultural Performances Program Live stage performances including traditional dances, martial arts, and cultural presentations from performers representing various countries and regions.
• Parade of Nations Flag parade featuring representatives from participating countries walking in national attire, celebrating cultural diversity and the international community. About 110 countries represented.
• International Fashion Shows Runway fashion show featuring participants wearing traditional costumes from their countries. Includes both adult and children's fashion shows during the festival weekend.
• National Exhibits Program Cultural displays representing various nations featuring artifacts, costumes, pictures, videos, and interactive elements about different countries and cultures. Approximately 110 exhibits representing different countries.
• International of the Year Awards Annual awards program recognizing outstanding achievement among SC's international community, including International Business Person, Volunteer, Professional, and Community Ambassador of the Year categories.

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 3,000 school children educated about world cultures annually through GED program
• +2 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered sustaining sponsor, platinum sponsor, gold sponsor, silver sponsor, education partner, media sponsor and core.

• SC State Chamber of Commerce (COC)sustaining sponsorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSustaining sponsor representing the State Chamber of Commerce. Logo displayed on festival website as sustaining sponsor.
• South Carolina County (County Seal)sustaining sponsorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCounty government entity shown as sustaining sponsor with logo displayed on festival website.
• SCCCAE (SC Council for Asian Affairs)platinum sponsorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPlatinum sponsor - South Carolina Council for Asian Affairs, an organization representing Asian communities in the state.
• T-Fibergold sponsorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGold sponsor - T-Fiber (technology/telecommunications company).
• FACESsilver sponsorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSilver sponsor - FACES organization.
• BathFittersilver sponsorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSilver sponsor - BathFitter.
• BlueCross BlueShield of SCsilver sponsorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSilver sponsor - BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina.
• EdV (Education Voucher)education partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducation partner organization supporting Global Education Day program.
• SCFLTA (SC Foreign Language Teachers Association)education partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducation partner - SC Foreign Language Teachers Association, supporting multicultural education initiatives.
• WNOK (Radio Station)media sponsorGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia sponsor - WNOK radio station providing promotional coverage.
• WXRY Radiomedia sponsorGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia sponsor - WXRY radio station providing promotional coverage.
• WEVM (Radio Station)media sponsorGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia sponsor - WEVM radio station providing promotional coverage.
• 975wcos (Radio Station)media sponsorGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia sponsor - 975wcos radio station providing promotional coverage.
• Cola DailycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTicket distribution partner - Cola Daily platform handles online ticket sales for festival admission.
• SC State FairgroundscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVenue partner - SC State Fairgrounds provides Cantey & Goodman Buildings for festival event space.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• Charleston Greek Festival: Single-nationality cultural festival in South Carolina with comparable food court, vendor booths, and cultural performance format. Operates in same state with similar audience profile.
• Taste of the Nation (No Kid Hungry): Culinary-focused festival circuit benefiting a nonprofit cause, similar in food/coupon model and corporate sponsorship structure. Comparable in nonprofit fundraising approach.

Regional players

• Atlanta International Festival: Annual international cultural festival in the Atlanta metro area offering a parallel mix of national exhibits, food, and performances. Comparable in format and target audience.
• Carolina Cup: Recurring large-scale Midlands South Carolina event with similar sponsor tier structure and regional family audience. Comparable in regional event economics though different category.
• Charlotte International Festival: Multicultural festival in nearby Charlotte, NC sharing the same Carolina/Piedmont regional audience and similar midpoint scale. Competes for the same international community exhibitors and corporate sponsors.
• Greenville International Festival: Upstate South Carolina multicultural festival with similar community-driven programming and educational outreach. Operates in the same state with an overlapping South Carolina sponsor base.
• Spartanburg International Festival: Smaller-scale international festival in Spartanburg, SC. Comparable in community-driven nonprofit model and educational programming targeting South Carolina schools.

Direct peers

• Festival of Nations (St. Louis): Long-running multicultural festival featuring national exhibits, international food, and cultural performances. Comparable in nonprofit operating model and educational programming.
• Houston International Festival (iFest): Long-running annual multicultural festival in Houston featuring international food, music, and cultural exhibits with similar vendor/sponsor/ticket model. Directly comparable in scale ambition and programming structure.

Broad incumbents

• South Carolina State Fair: Annual state fair held at the same SC State Fairgrounds venue where CIF operates. Provides venue context, comparable attendance scale, and overlapping sponsor relationships in the Midlands region.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@ColaIntFest
• Facebookfacebook.com/columbiainternationalfestival
• Xx.com/ColaIntFest
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/columbia-international-festival

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Columbia International Festival