Where can you enjoy the sights, sounds, tastes and cultures of more than 20 different countries from around the world, all in one location? Concord will be home to these international experiences and many more at the 9th annual Concord Multicultural Festival on Sept. 13 from 1:30 to 6 p.m. at the State House.
The Concord community is home to many different cultures and heritages, and what better way to celebrate than with a festival of food, music and fun that brings the whole community together? Festival participants represent many native countries of current Concord community members. Presenters will celebrate their cultures through music, dance, food, crafts, storytelling and other engaging educational experiences.
Enjoy such palette-pleasing foods as Somali meat pies, Colombian empanadas and Nepali cuisines including Choumin and Pyaaji. Got a sweet tooth? Indulge in French, Syrian, Greek and Nicaraguan treats. A packed performance schedule opens with the dynamic Wah Lum Chinese Lion Dancers and includes local singers, dancers and musicians from Spain, Bhutan, Germany, West Africa and more. Thanks to community-minded business Lincoln Financial Group, there will be many more activities this year to engage kids and families, including sand art and necklace beading. The exceptional persity of performances, food, and exhibitors are testimony to a new infusion of energy that’s transforming the Concord Multicultural Festival into a must-see (and taste, and hear) event. Organizers are continuing to schedule even more activities and entertainment, so be sure to check the event website and Facebook page frequently.
Seeds of the Concord Multicultural Festival were planted a decade ago, when the Greater Concord Area Task Force Against Racism and Intolerance recognized that a big outdoor party was an ideal avenue to advance the goals of racial and ethnic tolerance and understanding in a small but quickly changing New England community.
Sept. 13 also kicks off National Welcoming Week, a nationwide event that will highlight the contributions of immigrants to American communities. Throughout the country, these events will bring together immigrants and U.S.-born community members in a spirit of unity. Here in New Hampshire, Welcoming N.H. (the local chapter) in partnership with the N.H. Immigrant Integration Coalition is hosting a “Welcoming Walk” which will take place prior to the Concord Multicultural Festival. The short walk will celebrate the strengths and contributions of immigrants in New Hampshire, and feature interactive stations along the route, which ends at the Concord Multicultural Festival. Registration begins at 11:30 a.m. on City Plaza. For more information about Welcoming NH and the Welcoming Walk visit facebook.com/Welcomingnh.
Attendance is free at the 9th Annual Concord Multicultural Festival, a rain or shine event. Delectable foods can be purchased from the wide array of food vendors including restaurants, local residents and high school students. Several craft vendors and artists will also have products for sale. Performances, activities and community spirit are all free.
Presented by the Greater Concord Area Task Force Against Racism & Intolerance, the festival is made possible with generous support from Lincoln Financial Group, Centrix Bank, Merrimack County Savings Bank, Unitarian Benevolent Association, Granite United Way, NH State Council on the Arts, Binnie Media and 105.5 JYY, Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce and JFogg Social Inspirations.
To learn more about the 9th Annual Concord Multicultural Festival, visit concordmulticulturalfestival.org or contact event organizer Jessica Fogg at 568-5740 or jessica@jfoggsocialinspirations.com. Find the latest schedule and event updates at facebook.com/concordnhmulticulturalfestival.
