Go around the world in five hours when you celebrate Heritage Day, Aug. 3 in Galt Gardens.
The Southern Alberta Ethnic Association has been holding the event on the first Monday of the month which pretty much since Heritage Days was first decreed in Alberta by then Minister of Culture Dr. Horst Schmid. The event has been moved to Galt Gardens this year.
“This year, we wanted to expand it to two days, unfortunately the roof of exhibition pavilion where we usually host it, broke,” said Southern Alberta Ethnic Association program co-ordinator John Pogorzelski.
“So rather than moving it to the South Pavilion which could seat 700 people, we decided to move it to Galt Gardens, where we can comfortably seat the 1,000 people we usually get at the event so we’re hoping for good weather,” he continued, adding it is difficult to say exactly how many people attended as they don’t charge children.
“We sold 1,100 tickets last year,” he said.
Because the event is in Galt Gardens this year, it will be free event with plenty of food and entertainment from all over the world.
“There will be a plethora of food. We have food from all five continents — including South America, Asia, Europe and Africa,” he said, noting numerous ethnic communities are taking part in this year’s Heritage Fair including Polish, Hungarian, Columbian, Filipino, East Indian and Blackfoot plus Argentinian, Sudanese, Bhutanese.
“There are also beverages, but not like Pil or Coors that you can get anywhere.There will be beverages from all over the world for you to test your palate,” he added.
He said the many different ethnic communities enjoy participating in Heritage Days.
“It’s the time of the year they can celebrate who they are,” he said, adding the Heritage Festival is most popular from people who have just arrived from immigrants to refugees.
“And people who just came to Lethbridge to see what it’s like,” he continued.
“There are a lot of days and events for specific groups. This is an event to celebrate Heritage,” he said.
“And they are excited to share their culture,” he added.
“ It’s all volunteers. A lot of third and fourth generation people have never even been to their homeland. They see themselves as Canadian. So sometimes they make other plans for the long weekend,” he said, adding one new group participating this year is the Bhutanese community.
He is excited to organize his second Heritage Fair.
“I come from Saskatchewan, so the first fair I was at last year was the one I organized,” he said, adding he is looking forward to the different food.
“There is a plethora of food. And as organizer, I often get slipped free samples,” he said.
In addition to a plethora of food, there will be a kids zone with a bouncy castle and lots of entertainment.
“There will be a great representation of Blackfoot culture and Mexican and Columbian dancers, Filipino dancers, a Latin singer and we always get the Japanese Taiko drums,” he said.
“There will be a plethora of cultural dancing and Metis jigging,” he continued.
The event opens at 11 a.m. with dignitaries speaking including new MLA Maria Fitzpatrick, Mayor Chris Spearman and the Chief of Police as well as Southern Alberta Multi-Cultural Society president Surya Acharya.
There will also be a 50 50 draw and a raffle for prizes like a big screen TV and gift certificates.
“Usually it’s door prizes, but because we don’t have tickets this year, it will be a raffle,” he said.
“I think it went pretty well last year. I like seeing the smiles on people’s faces and the shock when they find out how much is really going on right here. A lot of people leave for the long weekend, but why not stay right here,” he said.
“I love Lethbridge. It’s a good place to be, he said.
The event runs in Galt Gardens, 11 a.m. -4 p.m.
“If there are a lot of people still in the garden, they will keep serving food, but the entertainment will still be done by 4 p.m.,” he said adding he'd like to expand the event for next year.
“There’s only so much you can see in five hours, o it should be spread out,” he said.
More information is available through Facebook, Twitter and the http://www.saeamulticultural.org/heritage-days-2015.html
