Gore District Council senior events co-ordinator Jessica Swan said it was a celebration of diversity within the Gore district.
"It’s a good opportunity for our foreign community to connect with the local community they are now a part of, and share with them," she said.
Ms Swan said the festival had something for everyone.
"We have everything. From earrings ladies in West Africa have made, our Chilean stands, food trucks outside, empanadas, mimosas, you name it, it’s here," she said.
During the festival, attendees were treated to live performances on a stage built for the occasion.
Ms Swan said all performers lived in Gore, including a celebrity from South Africa, and were all volunteers.
"It’s all community-based performances, people who have volunteered out of the goodness of their hearts.
"There’s a belly dance, Latin American dancing, and a South African singer who used to be a pop star back in the day," she said.
Ms Swan said the event was in the works for a year, as they moved venues to accommodate increasing interest.
"This has been in the works for over a year. We used to be at the Gore Town & Country stadium, which is an amazing venue.
"But we were getting really big, so we started to think about moving here a year ago," she said.
The festival drew more than 1500 people, and Ms Swan was thrilled with the feedback she and the council had already received.
"It’s been amazing. We don’t normally get feedback right away. It’s normally in a form that 30 or 40 people fill out, but they’ve been stopping us, and saying to the team and the volunteers it’s such a great venue, it’s such a good turnout of vendors, asking what to try.
"These conversations are super positive, because it’s obvious they’re excited about the point of the event, which is trying new things," she said.
Ms Swan said events like the culture fest could break the day-to-day and show the community something out of the ordinary.
"I think they’re hugely important. It’s a good way for our community to get out, socialise, and experience new things.
"In a small town, sometimes you can get stuck in the daily routine. This is a great way to break that and bring big-city style events to the community.
"It’s amazing.
"I feel really privileged to be able to do that," she said.
