Aurora’s annual festival celebrating the city’s cultural diversity will bring food, entertainment and music from around the world to the municipal center’s great lawn Saturday.

Aurora Fest, celebrating its 13th year, is free and highlights the “melting pot of international communities and cultures” that make up the city.

The event goes from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the Aurora Municipal Center Great Lawn, 15151 E. Alameda Pkwy.

This year, the festival will have 29 food venders, the parade of nations representing 68 countries, an international fashion show, two stages of entertainment and more than 20 performances.

Attendees can watch a kung fu demonstration, dance along to performances highlighting the cultural traditions of Mexico, Romania and Peru, then restore their energy with food from around the world before an evening of entertainment.

City officials anticipate about 10,000 attendees.

The celebration will end with a drone show for the 250th birthday of the United States and 150th birthday of Colorado with more than 500 drones, according to a city news release.

Aurora is one of the most diverse cities in Colorado, with about one in five of its 400,000 residents foreign-born and more than 160 languages spoken at its schools.

“Aurora Fest in an international event allowing the entire city to proudly embrace its global spirit,” the city’s website says.

Some highlights of this year’s festival include:

• Selena tribute show by performer Mayra Alejandra at 8:30 p.m.
• International marketplace featuring 46 craft and merchandise vendors
• Free admission to Aurora History Museum from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
• Face painting
• Aurora Police Department gaming trailer

Parking at the event will be free around the Aurora municipal campus, but officials encourage using public transportation due to parking filling quickly.

Two free shuttles will run every 15 minutes from 2:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. from Town Center of Aurora to the Aurora Municipal Center.

Aurora’s Saturday forecast shows warm, sunny weather for the festival.

More information about Aurora Fest is available on the city’s website.