Meet the neighbours from next door and across town and learn about their culture. That is the idea behind the inaugural Squamish Multicultural Festival.
The Squamish Common Ground Welcome Centre is organizing the festival, scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 1 at Junction Park and O’Siyam Pavilion.
“For the past few years, a lot of immigrants and newcomers have been suggesting it is something that they really feel they would value,” said Sarah Coull, spokeswoman for the festival. “They want to tell the rest of Squamish about their culture and celebrate it all together.”
The free, family-friendly festival will include, among other activities, a cultural fashion parade, international dancing, arts and crafts, music, a Japanese tea service, storytelling and a talent show.
Anyone interested in performing a five-minute act in the talent show can contact the organizers. A mandatory dress rehearsal will be held on Thursday, Sept. 29 at the Hot Spot on Cleveland Avenue.
Representatives from the Squamish Nation, St. Joseph’s Parish Migrant Centre, Squamish Public Library, Squamish Dream Makers, the Squamish Arts Council and the Squamish Sikh Society are partners in the event. Members of the Japanese and the Philippine community in Squamish are committed to coming, Coull added.
Organizers hope this will be a yearly event.
“We will just have to see how this one goes,” Coull said.
The festival runs 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 1 at O’Siyam Pavilion downtown. For more information or to volunteer call 604-815-4142 or email [email protected].
