Cultural diversity has been filling publc places all week thanks to the International FolkFest here in Murfreesboro. Troupes from France, Puerto Rico and Turkey will continue to share their culture through Saturday night (6/15/2013).
Steve Cates (insert in photo below) founded the Cripple Creek Cloggers as a 4-H Project at Kitrell Elementary School in 1967. Now the group acts as goodwill ambassadors for the Heart of Tennessee and the U.S.
FolkFest will have a free public performance on the east side of the Rutherford County courthouse from 8:30 Saturday morning until 1:00 that afternoon.
(Above photo) FolkFest is hosted by Rutherford County's Cripple Creek Cloggers. Here they enjoy Appalachian style dancing with new friends from France, Puerto Rico and Turkey.
Their final performance is in Belle Buckle, Tennessee Saturday afternoon for that town's annual RC and Moon Pie Festival.
The audience at the Patterson Community Center on Friday night (6/14/2013) were treated to exciting rhythms, colorful costumes, and stories that broke the language barriers across the auditorium.
France
The group from France was first on the stage, and they had a mini romantic drama set to music and dance. 
Notice the wooden shoes (above photo to right) that gave a unique sound to their performance. Each troupe brought their own musicians to make it feel as if we were actually there in Normandie, France.
Turkey
The pulsating drums and strings of Turkey brought a line of colorfully costumed young female dancers to the stage.
The Turkish musicians set a fast-pace to share their folk heritage in song and dance. It was interesting to watch the visiting groups listening to others from distant lands. They all started swaying and clapping to words of different languages. That didn't matter, as everyone in the audience was mesmorized with the music, color and dance.
Puerto Rico
The smiles and Caribbean beat from Puerto Rico added even more liveliness to the audience.
Puerto Rico not only had the largest troupe this year, but they also had the youngest international performer in Murfreesboro's FolkFest. The young drummer, third from right (below photo), is nine years old.
