International Festival
Saturday, August 30 – Monday, September 1
Come celebrate with us!
Join us Labor Day weekend as we celebrate 50 years of the International Festival and raise money for local community organizations! The weekend will feature all our favorite events we know and love, and the return of a beloved tradition (Rose’s Bakery!).
Scroll down for info on all of the weekend’s events including the festival day, online raffle, 5K, Yard Sale, and more!
Many volunteers are also needed to make the weekend a success. You can sign up here. Proceeds from the International Festival fund the Shepherd’s Gate Grants.
(This year’s celebratory logo, in honor of the 50th anniversary of the festival, was designed by Rowan Smith!)
Festival Day
Monday, September 1, 12 – 4pm
Join us on festival day for a day of fun featuring artisan vendors, children’s games and rides, bingo, Rose’s Bakery, the Pub, Hispanic Food Booth, and more!
Online Raffle
This year, our goal is $25,000. We will have a $5,000, $2,500, $1,000, and three $500 prizes!
Last year we raised $20,000 for grants being awarded to 9 different organizations: A Best Choice, Commissioned by Christ, Just Neighbors, Liberty’s Promise, Mother of Light Center, Pathway Homes, Rising Hope United Methodist Mission Church, and Shelter House
Click here to learn more about these organizations and the important work they do!
5K or 1 mile Fun Run
Saturday, August 30
Join Father Tom as we run (or walk!) for charity. The Mile begins at 8am and the 5K begins at 8:30am.
Yard Sale
Saturday, August 30, 8am – 2pm*
*8 – 9am: Early Bird Special ($10)
Donations accepted Saturday, August 16 – Tuesday, August 26
Cleaning out closets and sheds this summer? Save usable, clean, good quality household goods, toys, purses, sports equipment, jewelry, and more.
Blood Drive
Saturday, August 30, 8am – 12pm
Give the gift of life by donating blood!
Multicultural Mass
All Masses on August 30 – 31
We invite individuals or families to process and take part in the Presentation of the Gifts, dressed in your native costume or colors that represent your country. There can be a variety of costumes processing.
Rose’s Bakery
Returning this year! Donations may be dropped off before or after Masses Labor Day weekend, or by 2pm Monday, September 1.
Our popular bake sale returns this year for the Festival Day! Please bake your favorite treat. We accept: Cakes, Cupcakes, Breads, Rolls, Tarts, Cookies, Brownies, Pies, Scones, Muffins, Preserves/Jams, International Favorites, and Gluten-free items. Please no refrigerated items; disposable containers only; and label items containing nuts and gluten-free items. Not in town that weekend? Early drop-off may be arranged by emailing festival@gs-cc.org.
Volunteer at the International Festival
Sign ups available soon! Thank you for supporting the International Festival!
Saturday, August 16 – Tuesday, August 26
- Yard Sale Sorting and Tagging: Saturday, August 16 – Wednesday, August 27, 9am – 5pm to help sort and tag donations. No need to sign up ahead of time. (Note: the first week of tagging, volunteers typically finish by 1pm. Please call the office if coming after 1pm to make sure help is still needed that day.)
Thursday, August 28 – Friday, August 29
- Yard Sale Set up: help place donated items in Creedon Hall.
Saturday, August 30
- 5K: register runners and help throughout the race course.
- Blood Drive: work the INOVA Blood Drive registration table and greet and check in donors.
- Yard Sale: volunteers as cashiers, to work at the jewelry counter, and clean up later.
Sunday, August 31
- Rose’s Bakery: Prep, repackaging, pricing in Classrooms 1 on Sunday, August 31.
- Set up: help carry and set up tables and chairs and other miscellaneous tasks. Bring work gloves if you have them.
Monday, September 1
- Bingo: volunteers will be bingo callers, assist bingo players, and sell bingo cards.
- Children’s Games: run games with PreK festival goers.
- Children’s Rides: help kids on outdoor rides.
- First Aid: doctors or nurses are needed to assist festival goers with minor medical needs.
- Grounds: help maintain the International Festival grounds by emptying trash bins and helping festival goers place items for recycling or composting in correct bins.
- Hispanic Food Booth: setup and volunteer at the Hispanic Food Booth.
- Information Booth/Volunteer Check-in: staff the information booth and check in all volunteers.
- Pub: volunteers must be 21 years or older.
- Raffle: help sell raffle tickets before and during the festival.
- Rose’s Bakery: Booth set-up, pricing, sales, re-stocking, clean-up on Monday, September 1.
- Set up/Take Down: help carry and set up tables and chairs and other miscellaneous tasks. After the festival, volunteers are needed to load tables and chairs. Bring work gloves if you have them.
- Traffic: help with traffic flow in and out of the Good Shepherd parking lot.
Tuesday, September 2 – Wednesday, September 3
- Festival Wrap Up: volunteer Tuesday and Wednesday after the Festival to assist Good Shepherd’s Facility Manager, Bob Baumann, put all the Festival supplies and equipment away for another year.
Email festival@gs-cc.org with any questions!
2024 Community Partners for the International Festival
- Good Shepherd Parishioners
- Brooke Rental Center
- Cuningham Turch Funeral Home
- Demaine Funeral Home – Alexandria
- Fairfax County Police, Fire, and EMT