The International Festival grew out the 1989 Ethnic Folk Festival, sponsored by the Human Rights Commission and the 1989 JapanFest, sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce.

In 1990, the Human Rights Commission and the Chamber of Commerce joined forces to produce Bowling Green's first International Festival.

The first three festivals were held on Memorial Day, but in 1994, it was moved to the fall in an effort to include more Western Kentucky University international students and other schools in the community.

Attendance has been estimated between 3,000 and 5,000 annually at the event which is held in Bowling Green's Fountain Square Park.