In October Ames will celebrate the many faces of the city, as dates have been set for Ames’ first city-wide celebration of diversity.

FACES, Families of Ames Celebrate Ethnicities, will launch Oct. 13. The celebration is being sponsored by the Ames Human Relations Commission and a number of other organizations.

“It’s a city-wide collaborative effort to celebrate cultural richness in Ames,” said Aiddy Phomvisay, co-coordinator of FACES. Phomvisay said he is hoping to get more ISU organizations involved in the planning of the celebration.

Among the events planned for the celebration are a street dance, family entertainment and cultural performers, Phomvisay said.

“We’re going to close off downtown Ames,” he said. “We’ve got performing groups that have contacted us. We haven’t confirmed anything, but once this got out it was amazing how many groups were interested.”

Phomvisay said he is focusing on the logo-design contest.

“This design will be used this year as basically our symbol of FACES,” he said. “It will be used on all of our advertising – T-shirts, banners, fliers, posters.”

Phomvisay said the planning committee is welcoming all entries for the contest, which ends June 15. Entries must be include the title “FACES”, be submitted on paper, in full-color with maximum dimensions of 12 inches by 12 inches.

“What we’re hoping is that these designs are reflective of the rich cultural diversity that is within Ames and Iowa State University,” Phomvisay said.

“The theme is basically to celebrate the various cultures in the Ames community and to celebrate the richness in our heritage,” said Kori Heuss of the Ames Chamber of Commerce and also a member of the planning committee.

Heuss said the commission welcomes all who wish to help plan or contribute to the event.

“Anybody who wants to be involved, no matter what their background or involvement is, can sure come and share their ideas,” Heuss said.

Phomvisay said it has been a challenge organizing the event, “but it’s been more fun than challenging.”

“I want to do so much and I want to offer as much as we can, but I’m trying to focus precisely on what is our message,” he said. “We can have a lot of fun and bring people together and at the same time we can learn.”

Those interested in submitting to the contest or desiring further information should call Heuss at 232-2310.