The 43rd Mobile International Festival opens to the public 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sat. Nov. 21 at The Grounds. Adults $12, seniors $10, students $6.

Last checked Oct. 17, 2026. This page is updated each year at the same address. Facts come from the festival’s own site, mobileinternationalfestival.org, and its 2026 field trip planner.

The 43rd Mobile International Festival opens to the public from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 21, at The Grounds, 1035 Cody Road N. The three days before are school days for field trips. Public tickets are on the festival’s event page.

Know before you go

  • Public day: Sat. Nov. 21, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  • School days: Nov. 18-20, by reservation only
  • Where: The Grounds (the fairgrounds), 1035 Cody Road N.
  • Tickets: $12 adults, $10 seniors, $6 students
  • Questions: 251-285-5003 or ester@mobileinternationalfestival.org

What it is

The festival has run every year since 1983, and its organizers call it the longest running festival on the Gulf Coast. Visitors meet people from more than 70 countries, hear different languages, sample food and watch music and dance, the festival says. Past performers on its video page include Irish dancers and a group from Indonesia.

The 2026 theme is mythology from around the world, which the field trip planner describes as “the legends, folklore, and mythical traditions that have influenced cultures across the globe,” told through cultural exhibits, international food, music, dance and arts.

The festival is a nonprofit run from an office at 713 Dauphin St. downtown. Ester de Aguiar is the executive director.

2026 schedule

Day Who Hours
Wed. Nov. 18 Elementary schools only 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Thu. Nov. 19 Middle schools only 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Fri. Nov. 20 High schools only 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Sat. Nov. 21 General public 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Source: the festival’s home page and field trip planner.

Tickets

For the Saturday public day, from the festival’s ticket page:

Ticket Price Online fee
Adult $12 30 cents
Senior $10 25 cents
Student $6 15 cents

On school days the pack is $12 for each student, teacher and chaperone: $6 admission and $6 in food tokens. More tokens are sold on site in $5 amounts at the food token booth, and tokens are not refunded.

Field trips

The school days are by reservation only, and only groups that registered in advance are admitted, the planner says. The reservation and payment deadlines for 2026 have passed; schools that missed them can call 251-285-5003 or email education@mobileinternationalfestival.org. The planner’s rules:

  • Chaperones: one adult for every 10 students in grades 6-12 and one for every five in grades 3-5, plus at least one lead teacher with each school. Chaperones may not bring young children or other family members.
  • Arrival: groups pick a 30-minute arrival slot, from 9 to 10 a.m. for elementary schools and 8:30 to 10 a.m. for middle and high schools, and stay three hours.
  • Will call on school days is only for school groups from outside Mobile County.
  • Help paying: Mobile County Public Schools teachers can ask their Partners in Education sponsor about tickets, buses or substitute costs.

The planner suggests pairing the trip with the Mobile Museum of Art, the University of South Alabama’s Archaeology Museum or the Mobile Carnival Museum, each booked directly.

What to know

  • Parking: the festival does not publish parking details for The Grounds. Call 251-285-5003 before you go.
  • Food is a big part of the day. On school days it runs on tokens, so bring cash or a card for extra tokens.
  • Updates go out on the festival’s Facebook and Instagram pages, its site says.
  • The fair comes first. The Greater Gulf State Fair uses the same grounds Oct. 30 to Nov. 8; see our Greater Gulf State Fair guide.

For more November plans, see things to do in Mobile this month and our things to do guide.

Frequently asked questions

When is the 2026 Mobile International Festival?

Nov. 18-21, 2026, at The Grounds. Wednesday through Friday are school days; the festival is open to the general public 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 21.

How much are Mobile International Festival tickets?

For the public day, $12 for adults, $10 for seniors and $6 for students, plus a ticket service fee of 15 to 30 cents when bought online.

Where is the Mobile International Festival held?

At The Grounds, the Greater Gulf State Fairgrounds, 1035 Cody Road N. in west Mobile.

Can schools bring a field trip to the Mobile International Festival?

Yes, on the school days: elementary schools Wednesday, Nov. 18, middle schools Thursday, Nov. 19, and high schools Friday, Nov. 20. Reservations are required, and the student pack is $12, which includes $6 in food tokens.

How long has the Mobile International Festival been running?

Since 1983. The 2026 festival is the 43rd.