Food, festivities and fun are in store at Powell River’s annual celebration of cultural diversity, Saturday, November 22.
It is the fourth year the festival is being organized and its focus is showcasing Powell River’s wide range of ethnicities while promoting inclusion and acceptance. “We’ve recognized for years, the need for this,” said Ann Nelson of Powell River Council for Arts, Culture and Heritage. “This is a chance to stop by, be engaged and learn a bit about your neighbours. We are the most amazingly diverse community.”
In addition to the arts council, the festival is also being organized by Powell River Diversity Initiative and Immigrant Services, two programs of Powell River Employment Program (PREP) Society. This is the second year that funding has been available from PREP to hire event coordination.
Carma Sacree has been brought on to help organize the event. Nelson said Sacree’s background and experience bringing local theatre productions to the stage made her a natural choice for the job.
“This is a big point of pride for a lot of people in our community,” said Sacree.
This year’s festival will again take place at Powell River Recreation Complex, space donated by City of Powell River.
New to the festival is a passport program which organizers hope will provide visitors with a more engaging cultural experience.
For $2 passports can be bought, said Nelson. Participants go around to the display tables and have their passports marked with a sticker once they have learned something about the culture represented at that display, either learning a few words of a language or trying a craft, such as Japanese paper folding. After participants gather eight stickers they will be entered into a draw for two round trip tickets to Vancouver on Pacific Coastal Airlines.
In addition to the 24 display tables, there will also be seven food vendors selling different types of international treats.
“If nothing else, come for the food,” Sacree said.
Entertainment ranging from Celtic music to Bollywood-inspired belly dancing will be happening throughout the day.
“We have tried to show as much diversity in the entertainment as we can,” said Nelson. “It’s a way to entertain as well as educate.”
Included in the festival will also be a display of Chinese martial arts, tai chi and performances from Scottish highland dancers.
This year the organizers will also be conducting a raffle for a basket filled with donations from local businesses. Nelson said organizers are working toward making the festival financially self-sustaining because they do not charge admission or a fee to those setting up a display table. Food vendors pay a small percentage of what they earn during the day, she said. She added that they do receive some funding from the arts council to purchase supplies and pay for limited promotion.
Nelson said the festival is timely considering the unwelcoming posters and messages which have been left for some local business owners.
“We need to demonstrate to our new neighbours that as a whole the majority of this community welcomes them for the contributions they can make.”
The festival of cultural diversity runs from 10 am to 3 pm on Saturday, November 22, at the complex.
