Thousands of people took a trip around the world May 14.  But they never left Rancho Cordova.

Rancho Cordova’s international festival – iFest – returned to Village Green Park with a visual carnival of color, new wine tasting and chalk art activities, and attracting record crowds.

Visitors grabbed selfies scaling the Great Wall of China or Eiffel Tower with the help of green screen technology.  Others hitched a ride on a pedicab, checked out local art, learned about animals from around the world, had their arm tattooed with henna or took a swing at a Mexican piñata.  An estimated 4,000 people visited iFest 2016.

Children searched for treasure during the Go for the Gold Scavenger Hunt and scrambled through a Brazilian Rain Forest climbing adventure while food trucks served up everything from Filipino lumpia to Mexican tacos.

But the shining jewel of the event was the jam-packed amphitheater, which was full from beginning to end as host Andy Gee directed the traffic on stage during a virtual world tour.  Hula dancers, lively Indian Bollywood beats, Middle Eastern belly dancers and Ukrainian Bandura musicians were just a sampling of what was in store on stage.

“iFest is about cultural understanding and appreciating our differences, as well as celebrating our common values,” said Shelly Blanchard, executive director of the Cordova Community Council, producer of the event.  “Everybody learns something new at iFest.”

Producer of iFest was the Cordova Community Council. Sponsors of iFest included Chick-Fil-A Rivergate, Republic Services, Michael Baker International, City of Rancho Cordova, B&J Towing, Raleys Bel-Air, Rancho Cordova Travel and Tourism, Cordova Recreation and Park District, Mary Nelsel Lyon Real Estate, Rancho Cordova Rotary, Ronnie Belka and Julie Hagan-Belka, California American Water, Atlas Disposal, Smile Kingdom Dental, Wells Fargo, Sunrise Orthodontics, Golden State Water Company, Assemblyman Ken Cooley, Heritage Community Credit Union and Folsom Cordova Unified School District.