Houston International Festival

According to an article in the Houston Chronicle,[1] Ifest announced in June 2014 that it was seeking Chapter 7 bankruptcy protection, making it clear that the 2014 fest would be the last ever festival.

The Living Museum represents the spotlighted culture each year with iconic structures, interactive exhibits, artisan demonstrations and performances.

The festival impacts Houston's tourism and economy by drawing 22% tourists attendance and generates local and state tourist-based taxes of $2.19 million.

Sakowitz and Foleys Department Stores, and the Cultural Affairs Committee of the Houston Chamber of Commerce, with the blessing of Mayor Louie Welch, sponsored the event.

This attempt at an outdoor-indoor celebration created safety concerns with crowds of pedestrians crossing streets, so in... 1974: The Art Happening moved to Hermann Park, near the Museum.

1979: The festival moved to a larger potential site at Market Square, in order to accommodate the growing number of participants and attendees.

The board of Directors hired their first President, Rochella Cooper who immediately set out to involve the performing, visual, and literary arts organizations and individuals in promoting Houston through the Festival.

1981 The Festival expanded its location to encompass, over the next six years, twenty downtown blocks including nine performing stages, 350 fine craft artists, an outdoor sculpture exhibition along the banks of the Buffalo Bayou, and the involvement of all major arts organizations.

Lasers and fireworks danced above and around the skyscrapers downtown accompanied by French composer Jean-Michel Jarre's original music compositions.

Following this event, a plan was developed to spotlight the arts and cultures of an individual country or region of the world each year, with request for assistance from the participating governments at the highest levels possible.

A different country or region in alternate parts of the globe were to be selected for the "spotlight" thereafter, although the festival continued to build more performing stages to ensure on-going presentations of arts from throughout the world during the two-week event.

After twenty years, the City Ordinance regarding the festival's unique status lapsed, and downtown Houston was in the throes of a major renaissance of urban development and street improvements.

The Houston International Festival moved south, this time following the tracks of the METRO's new light rail transportation line for better access and more space to Reliant Park.