The Festival began in 1995 with Spotlight on America-From Sea to Shining Sea!
 Since that inaugural year, the countries of Germany, Italy, Austria, England, Russia, the Appalachian Region of the United States and France have been visited through the Festival. The mission of the Festival is to provide an in-depth exploration of the cultural riches of countries and cultures around the world to create a better understanding of those nations and cultures. The two-week long Festival consists of numerous musical performances, including vocal, instrumental and solo presentations. Dance, theatre, literature, visual arts and film are other areas of exploration.

 Most performances are presented by nationally and internationally acclaimed artists, among them:

 pianists Pavlina Dokovska, ; violinists Yuri Vodovoz and Rob Taylor; violist Ariel Rudiakov; cellist Diliana Momtchilova; flutist Massimo Mercelli; sopranos Stefka Evastieva and Karen Bureau; the Kandinsky Trio and Garth Newel Chamber Players; Walt Michael and Company and Madeline MacNeil, dulcimer.

 Special guests have been actor Efrem Zimbalist, Jr., Dr. Gottfried Wagner, musicologist; Chandler Cowles and Henry Taylor, Pulitzer Prize winners; Dr. Gideon Waldrop, former Dean of the Juilliard School of Music and President of the Manhattan School of Music; composer David Tcimpidis; writers Lee Smith and Sharyn McCrumb.

 Students from the theatre and music departments at SwVCC participate as well as community singers in the Festival Chorus and the Festival Handbell Choir. SwVCC art students design the Festival logo each year and prepare art exhibits that reflect the artistic heritage of the country in the spotlight.