World Refugee Day - Pocatello, ID

06/12/2026

💛 A special THANK YOU to Martinez Rosy for cooking and sponsoring one of the cultural dishes for our World Refugee Day event!

Many people know Rosy as one of the talented Latino dancers who has performed at our previous World Refugee Day events. She and others in her dance group also generously share their talents at charitable events throughout our community, helping bring culture, beauty, and fun to so many gatherings.

Rosy embodies so many of the qualities I admire in our Latino community—hard work, resilience, generosity, optimism, and a love of life.
She is one of many immigrants in our community who work incredibly hard at jobs many people would not want to do, yet somehow still find time and energy to serve others and develop her talents.
When I watch her interact with people, her enthusiasm is contagious. She has a gift for helping others smile, enjoy the moment, and appreciate life regardless of circumstances.

Thank you, Rosy, for your generosity, your friendship, and for helping make World Refugee Day possible. 🌍💛

📍 World Refugee Day – Pocatello
📍 June 20 | 6–8 PM
📍 Lookout Point Park

06/11/2026

💛 A huge THANK YOU to Liliana Castillo for supporting our World Refugee Day event by cooking and sponsoring one of our cultural dishes!

One of the things I've enjoyed most while organizing this event is getting to know so many hardworking people in our community. Liliana is one of those people.

Liliana is the owner of Ego Shop, an online boutique https://www.facebook.com/LilianaCasVil.
As a small business owner, she understands what it means to invest time, energy, and effort into building something of your own while also serving others. Yet despite the demands of running a business and caring for her family, she still chose to support World Refugee Day and help make this event possible for our community.

I also think it's important to recognize that behind many successful small business owners is a family that supports them along the way. Liliana is blessed with a supportive husband, Carlos, and a wonderful son who cheer her on as she pursues her goals and dreams. I always love seeing families work together and support one another.

Thank you, Liliana, for supporting World Refugee Day and helping make this event possible for our community. 🌍💛

📍 World Refugee Day – Pocatello
📍 June 20 | 6–8 PM
📍 Lookout Point Park

06/11/2026

🌍🍽️ Here's a preview of the amazing cultural dishes coming to World Refugee Day this year—and the generous sponsors helping make them possible!

This year, we'll have 25 dishes from around the world, and amazingly, only 2 of them were served at previous World Refugee Day events.
That means whether you've attended before or this is your first time, you'll have the opportunity to experience many new flavors and cultures.

One of my favorite things about this event is watching people step outside their comfort zones and try foods they've never had before. Sometimes it's a dish from a country they've never heard much about. Sometimes it's a flavor that becomes a new favorite.

A huge thank you to our sponsors and volunteer cooks who make this possible. Because of their generosity, all of the food is provided free to the community.

💛 I hope this video collage is making you hungry and excited to attend the event!

🌍 World Refugee Day – Pocatello
📅 June 20
🕕 6–8 PM
📍 Lookout Point Park

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06/10/2026

Wow. 💛

Just two years ago, World Refugee Day didn't exist in Pocatello.

This news clip is from our very first event in 2024, and watching it now brings back so many memories. I remember how worried I was that year. Honestly, I had no idea whether anyone would come, whether we could pull it off, or whether the community would even be interested.

I still worry every year. 😊

But now I also know something I didn't know then: our community loves this event.

Over the past two years, I've watched hundreds of people come together to share food, music, dance, stories, and friendship. I've watched volunteers, performers, sponsors, and community members give their time and talents to make something beautiful happen.

Looking back, it's amazing to see how much this event has grown in such a short time.

And just so nobody gets confused by the date in this news clip: the first World Refugee Day event was held on a Thursday. This year's event is on Saturday, June 20, from 6–8 PM at Lookout Point Park.

I can't wait to see what this year brings. 🌍💛

📍 World Refugee Day – Pocatello
📅 Saturday, June 20
🕕 6–8 PM
📍 Lookout Point Park

https://www.kpvi.com/news/local_news/world-refugee-day-event-set-for-thursday-in-pocatello/article_c9629098-2db9-11ef-8f4b-635e409f7712.html?utm_campaign=blox&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&fbclid=IwZnRzaASWsZ9leHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAo2NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEeAdtQaa9CM1dzoWsCcQFhiVYt-h_-FLgQY1JSISOnjh3nRZDPDiaKMSC0i7o_aem_dImQKM8DLIxkK2_CTj3NLQ

On Thursday, June 20, there will be a World Refugee Day celebration at Lookout Point in Pocatello from 5-7 p.m.

06/10/2026

💛 A big THANK YOU to my friend Kathy Olsen for supporting our World Refugee Day event!

This is not Kathy's first time helping with World Refugee Day event, but it is her first time cooking a cultural dish for the event, and I'm very grateful she was willing to take on the challenge. In this photo, she is making bread in Sicily, so don't fret—you are in good hands. 😊

If you know Kathy, you know she is an outdoors person through and through. When Southeast Idaho finally gets beautiful weather, there are countless things she could be doing instead—hiking, exploring, camping, spending time outside, and enjoying this wonderful season.
That's one of the reasons her willingness to serve means so much to me.

Time is one of the most valuable things we have, and when someone chooses to spend part of their summer helping others instead of pursuing their own hobbies and interests, that is a real sacrifice.

Communities are built by people like that.
I feel incredibly blessed to be associated with so many individuals who consistently choose service, generosity, and community involvement. Kathy is one of those people.

Thank you, Kathy, for your friendship, your willingness to help, and for once again being part of making World Refugee Day possible. 🌍💛

📍 World Refugee Day – Pocatello
📍 June 20 | 6–8 PM
📍 Lookout Point Park

06/09/2026

💛 A special THANK YOU to Heather Judd and Fringe, The Styling Salon for supporting our World Refugee Day event once again!

I've known Heather personally for years, and one of the things I appreciate most about her is that she genuinely cares about people. She is one of those rare individuals who is inclusive, encouraging, community-minded, and always willing to support good causes.

Many people know Heather as the owner of Fringe Salon, a business that has been serving Pocatello since 1998. One thing people love about Fringe is that their values go far beyond hair and beauty. They emphasize community, inclusion, personal growth, and creating a welcoming environment where people feel valued and cared for.

But for the purposes of World Refugee Day, I want to talk about Heather's OTHER talent.
Honestly, people attending this event have no idea how lucky they are.
Anyone who has participated in local cook-offs knows exactly what I'm talking about. If Heather enters a competition, everyone can pretty much assume first place is already spoken for. And if she enters more than one dish, there's a good chance she'll take second place too. 😂

This year she decided to take on a fun challenge by creating a cultural dish that blends her Danish family heritage with the country she was assigned for World Refugee Day. I love that she was willing to experiment and share both her talents and her culture with our community.

This is not Heather's first time supporting World Refugee Day, and I'm deeply grateful for her friendship, her generosity, and her continued willingness to help make this event possible.
Thank you, Heather, for all you do for our community—and for feeding us so well! 🌍💛

📍 World Refugee Day – Pocatello
📍 June 20 | 6–8 PM
📍 Lookout Point Park

06/09/2026

💛 A special THANK YOU to El Herradero for supporting our World Refugee Day event by both sponsoring and preparing one of our cultural dishes!

For many years, El Herradero has been a beloved part of Pocatello's local food scene, sharing authentic Mexican food and helping bring people together around the table. Located on Arthur Avenue, they have become a favorite gathering place for many in our community.

One of the things I love most about World Refugee Day is that food allows us to experience another culture, learn something new, and connect with our neighbors. We are grateful that El Herradero is helping make that possible by generously donating both the dish and the ingredients.

Community events like this only happen because local businesses and community members choose to invest in something bigger than themselves. We are incredibly grateful for El Herradero's generosity and support.
Thank you for helping make this event possible for our community! 🌍💛

📍 World Refugee Day – Pocatello
📍 June 20 | 6–8 PM
📍 Lookout Point Park

06/08/2026

As I was looking through videos from previous World Refugee Day events, I decided to put together clips of what makes this event so special—the music, dancing, colors, traditions, and the joy of seeing people from so many different backgrounds sharing their cultures with our community.

What’s exciting to me is that about 90% of this year's performances will be new. Even if you've attended before, you'll experience countries, dances, songs, and traditions you haven't seen at previous events.

Every year I walk away feeling like the world got a little bigger and my appreciation for other people grew a little deeper.
I can't wait to see what this year's performers bring.
🌍 World Refugee Day – Pocatello

📅 June 20
🕕 6–8 PM
📍 Lookout Point Park