Inside the Orange International Street Fair

Photo by Easton Clark, Photo Editor

With 15 diverse vendors representing different countries, volunteers from surrounding high schools and nonprofits came together on Aug. 29-31 to indulge in Orange’s Labor Day weekend staple. 

For over 50 years the fair has continued on, this year with the theme “Tradition Never Gets Old.”  

Stationed in an “Ask the Mayor” booth at the fair was Mayor Dan Slater.

“These events help show people how cool the city of Orange is and (welcome) the Chapman students,” Slater said.  

Slater estimates that 400,000 to 500,000 people attend every year, primarily from Orange County, but extending to other areas nationwide. 

Among the jewelry and pottery at the center of the fair were Ed and Nitha Swanson, a retired couple selling their hand-crafted dragon plushies. The two have been participating in the fair for over 20 years. 

The Swansons highlighted the challenge of competing with cheaper, mass-produced items in the market.  

“When you bring commercial in,” Nitha said, “you cannot compare them with handcrafted. They’re very cheap.” 

While each dragon takes Nitha a day or two to make, she likes to sell each plushie at an affordable price for any children who want to purchase them.

Savannah Whitten-Rowand, a sophomore strategic communication major, appreciates the community aspect of the fair. 

“It’s really cool, because it allows people to be proud of their culture and their identities,” Whitten said. “And to show off just the kind of parts of who they are. It’s just incredible to see everyone come together for this.”

From Switzerland and Greece to Brazil and Australia, many different ethnic foods line the streets of the Circle. 

Julie and Patty, volunteers from St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church in Anaheim, prepared traditional Greek foods, with proceeds going to the church’s renovations and repairs. 

“We just want to thank Orange County for allowing this fair here every year, and hopefully this year will be successful,” said Julie. 

From Dana Hills High School and volunteering at the Bratwurst sausages station was Kevin Alikhani, joined by his peers from the tennis and basketball teams to log their community service hours. 

However, after logging hours last year, Alikhani is now participating in the fair for fun. 

“The overall best part of the fair, in my opinion, is just getting to help and mess with my friends along the way,” Alikhani said. “Every food has a culture and story. So I think it’s nice that people are sharing it. It’s all good for people to learn more about different cultures.” 

With different flags hanging across the sky in the Circle, one stuck out as an outlier to a fairgoer. 

Matthew Azuma, a sophomore strategic communication major, shared his opinions on what is missing. 

“I would love to see a more accurate representation of Asian food within the International Street Fair,” Azuma said. “The foods that they put within the Asia section are orange chicken, tempura, egg rolls — very traditional, surface-level Asian foods.”  

Slater also offered his perspective on what the fair could improve. 

“I would like to see the booths be a little bit more themed to their country, like with costumes and that type of thing,” Slater said. 

“Tradition Never Gets Old,” a motto that encapsulates the spirit of the Orange International Street Fair, resonates beyond this year’s theme for those who want to see improvements. 

Even long-standing traditions can evolve. 

As a beloved event, fairgoers show that there is still potential to enhance its cultural authenticity.

As Azuma told The Panther: “It tells a story beyond culture through food, but also culture through the environment itself.”