Delhi square to host multicultural festival June 4
Jun. 1—There will be a multicultural family festival on the Courthouse Square in Delhi from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. this Saturday, June 4.
During the festival, there will be a variety of activities for children and families to participate in, food to sample, live music and dancing.
"We realized there was no multicultural festival in the county," Lauren O'Leary said. "We wanted to introduce different cultures to the community."
Families can learn about a variety of cultures, a media release said. Mina Takahsahi will teach Japanese paper making, and Tuna III will be there to teach the art of rolling sushi. The SUNY Delhi MOSAIC Center will teach Holajata, which is Mexican tin art. Children can play lacrosse, which was invented by the Haudenosaunee, with SUNY Delhi lacrosse coach Sam Miller. Percussionist Marcel Smith will help attendees create an African-inspired gourd maraca. The Cannon Free and William B. Ogden libraries will lead a class in constructing an Aboriginal rainstick. In addition, Delaware County Pride will let people make their own gender identity button, Delaware Academy's Gender & Sexuality Alliance will have a "paint a pride flag" station, there will be rainbow T-shirt tie-dye station, a yoga walk and a scavenger hunt.
"We reached out to local organizations and persons asking them to participate, and then asked what they would like to do with regards to a children's activity to create awareness around their cultural heritage or identity," Jenine Osbon said. "Others, such as the rainbow tie-dye station and the Yoga Walk, were ideas generated by, and will be facilitated by, members from W.I.D.E."
O'Leary and Osbon are the co-founders of Womxn plus non-binary people for Inclusion, Diversity and Equity, a local group of 150 members that is sponsoring the event.
"Our yoga walk is a self-guided roped off walking area where people move from station to station, practicing yoga poses related to a theme," Osbon said. "This year's theme for the walk is about Juneteenth, and each station will tell about a significant African American who fought for equality and whose achievements and contributions positively impacted American culture and history, and there will be a yoga pose to practice to honor the individual."
O'Leary and Osbon both said one of their favorite parts about the event, which is in its second year, is the scavenger hunt. When children arrive at the festival, they can pick up a piece of paper with questions, travel to the different tables to answer the questions, fill out the form and submit it to be entered in a raffle. The raffle basket is filled with books and activities related to one of the cultures or populations represented at the festival, Osbon said.
O'Leary said another favorite part of last year's festival was Filipino dancers, who taught children a dance. "Music of Indonesia and the Philippines," featuring Julie Licata, Tinny Wilkens, Ana Laura González and Fideliz Sta Brigida will perform at noon, followed by "Let The Drums Do The Talk'n: a blend of Latin and African drumming," featuring Marcel Smith, Benny Morales Padilla, John O. Banks and Julie Licata, the release said.
DJ Sara Sisco will provide music, Mediterranean food will be served by Tulip & The Rose Cafe, and W.I.D.E. will have a bake sale, the release said.
O'Leary said about 300 people attended last year's festival. She said the parents of the children who attended last year thanked the organizers for putting the festival together.
"The festival is free and open to everyone," O'Leary said. "Some people thought it was only open to club members, but it's not. Come, learn and have fun."
For more information, visit wideny.org.
Vicky Klukkert, staff writer, can be reached at vklukkert@thedailystar.com or 607-441-7221. Follow her @DS_VickyK on Twitter.
