THOUSAND OAKS : International Festival Scheduled Sunday

An Armenian band and Russian folk dancers will entertain visitors ay at the second annual International Festival Sunday in Conejo Creek North Park, behind the Thousand Oaks Library on Janss Road.

The free festival, scheduled from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., will feature nonstop entertainment by local Armenian, Greek, Scottish and Ukrainian groups, plus a performance by a visiting Russian dance troupe. International crafts and food from around the world will be on sale throughout the day.

Although there is no admission charge, the Sister City Committee requests donations to defray the $1,000 cost of renting the park, festival coordinator Vasken Melkonian said. About 800 people attended the fair last year, and organizers hope to attract more this year.

“You don’t have to go around the world to see different cultures and taste different food,” Melkonian said.

The Sister City Committee will use any profits from the festival to fund its efforts to establish links with a Russian city. Thousand Oaks’ official sister city is Spitak, Armenia, which several committee members plan to visit next week.

“The sister city concept is very important for the community because it brings people closer and allows us to set up cultural exchanges and educational programs,” Melkonian said.

The delegation visiting Armenia next week will hand over a check for up to $20,000, with the exact amount depending on how far the city has come in building an earthquake-resistant housing complex. The Thousand Oaks Sister City Committee raised $30,000 to fund the construction, and is doling out the money in installments as the building goes up, Melkonian said.