Exploring Minnesota: Thai Food Edition

By Abigail Vela

Many different events throughout the Twin Cities often go overlooked. For example, every year, there is a Thai food festival called MinneThai, which showcases food, clothing, crafts, and cultural dances. I had never heard of this festival before, but this year, I decided to check it out. MinneThai was a two-day event that took place from September 16-17.

Right away, I noticed how many people were in attendance; families of all different backgrounds gathered to appreciate the food and culture showcased at the festival. People kept moving from vendor to vendor, looking at the food, sweets, jewelry, toys, and flowers. The food was delicious and plentiful. The first thing I got was some vegetarian spring rolls and a tea lemonade, which were so good an Bianca Llerena d came in big portions. There was simply so much food that there was no way to try everything in a day. The food was exquisite and so were the deserts (mochi donuts are always a hit for me) and it was evident that everyone agreed: I witnessed many people go back for seconds or thirds.

Outside of selling food, there were also a lot of different vendors. Although I did not buy anything, I looked at a couple of really beautiful pieces at the jewelry stands (fortunately they only took cash or I would’ve spent a lot of money). The handcrafted pieces were beautiful and such a hit with all festivalgoers. They also had gorgeous handcrafted toys and knick-knacks that caught my attention, as did the fresh flower arrangements they were selling. There was even a stage where they had competitions, dances, and even a drag show. They also advertised a fashion show which I was not able to see. Overall, it was an awesome experience that broadened my knowledge about a culture that I was not very familiar with before. Not to mention, the food was worth the trip!