ABOYNE – Nearly 1,300 attendees at the first Wellington County Multicultural Festival on Sept. 23 were treated to food, entertainment and activities celebrating the many cultures and communities that make up Wellington County.
“It was a super first festival,” said Wellington Place administrator Jana Burns in a Sept. 26 email to the Advertiser.
“It’s really a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the diversity that exists in our communities today as we try to make sure that we welcome diversity and learn and value how it enriches our lives, today and in the future,” said Warden Andy Lennox during the official opening of the free event at the Wellington County Museum and Archives.
A dancer from the Laasyam Kuchipudi Dance Academy performs a traditional Indian Kuchipudi dance during the Wellington County Multicultural Festival on Sept. 23.
Lennox said the festival was an “opportunity for not only the newcomers to … feel welcomed into the community. It’s an opportunity for existing residents, as well, to learn about new cultures, to experience the fun and fellowship, not to mention the food, of all the new cultures.
“Greet somebody new, make a new friend and make it a wonderful day,” the warden urged.
Mary Lloyd, chair of the county’s information, heritage and seniors committee called the event “very important.
“We have an opportunity to get to know our neighbours and welcome newcomers to our community,” said Lloyd. “We are celebrating the diversity and the traditions that bring our community together.”
Entertainment under sunny skies at the outdoor event included Scottish pipers and dance numbers representing Chinese, Caribbean, Indian, Syrian and Ukrainian cultures. A Kung Fu demonstration, storytelling and a performance by the Guelph Chinese Performing Arts ladies choir were also on the schedule.
A member of the Guelph Chinese Performing Arts troupe performs a Chinese Yunfeng sword dance during the Wellington County Multicultural Festival on Sept. 23.
Festival-goers sampled international cuisine, including Thai and Filipino dishes.
Booths from organizations – including Wellington County’s settlement services department; Workforce Planning Board of Waterloo, Wellington, Dufferin; and Omni Television’s New Canadians show – lined the grounds offering festival-goers information on a wide range of topics.
Centre Wellington Mayor Shawn Watters thanked staff from the county and the individuals from the various cultural organizations that organized the event, which he described as a “fantastic day”
“It’s a reflection of our values in our community, our changing community, in terms of where we’re going to be going over the next 10, 15 20 years,” said Watters.
“We’re very excited about all these changes that are happening in our community. It’s a wonderful place to live.
“And it’s a very welcoming place. And we need to continue that cooperation and acceptance.”
Perth-Wellington MPP Matthew Rae said “it’s great to see so many different cultures coming together in our communities. I know, we have a long tradition of this over the centuries, of new Canadians coming to our communities and feeling welcomed.”
The Kween Company took to the stage to perform Caribbean Soca dance at the festival.
Rae added, “I always think the vibrancy in our towns in Wellington County is similar to all the quilts that many people create and all the different patterns and colours and really it shows the beauty and diversity that is in Wellington County.”
Wellington-Halton Hills MPP Ted Arnott said the festival is “something that our county has needed for a long time. It’s great that we’re having the first one this year.”
Senator Rob Black said, “In the world, often marked by division, prejudice and misunderstanding, it’s imperative that we come together to celebrate our differences and recognize our communities.
“Wellington County has done just that by organizing today’s event.”
Black added, “The multicultural festival is not just an event, it’s a symbol of commitment to fostering inclusivity, promoting cross cultural understanding and engagement.”
A wide range of international food, including Thai and Filipino dishes, was available at the festival.
County councillor Jeff Duncan, who chairs the county’s economic development committee, noted the local festival is part of a larger international campaign known as Welcome Week, organized by the Guelph Wellington Local Immigration Partnership and funded by the Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada.
“Over the past few weeks communities throughout the county and the City of Guelph have been celebrating various events,” said Duncan.
“There have been over 30 community events and more than 500 international events with the goal of celebrating diversity, advancing inclusion and deeper sense of belonging for all of us. Today, the Wellington County Multicultural Festival has the honour of being the official closing event for our community’s Welcome Week 2023.”
