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Susanna Biro, right, and Szilvia Kalmar prepare some traditional cuisine from Hungary at the Taste of Culture event in 2019. (Angela Brown/battlefordsNOW Staff)
Battlefords Immigration Resource Centre

BIRC invites participants for Taste of Culture event

Feb 24, 2024 | 8:00 AM

Newcomers with culinary skills and those who want to highlight something special from their culture will be interested in this event.

Battlefords Immigration Resource Centre (BIRC) is putting the call out for people who wish to participate in this summer’s annual Taste of Culture.

The event will be held at the Agriplex in North Battleford June 1 and 2.

“A Taste of Culture 2024 is one of the biggest events in town,” said Jerry Ondos, BIRC Community Connection Coordinator.

He noted the event is especially a good opportunity for new immigrants in the Battlefords to connect with others newcomers.

“This is a time to share the traditional culture of different countries,” Ondos said.

Organizers are looking for food trucks, market vendors, entertainers and volunteers to take part.

“We’re trying to get food trucks [representing] different countries, since the Taste of Culture is the sharing of traditional food from different places,” Ondos said. “That’s the main objective of the Taste of Culture.”

For the food trucks and food vendor offerings, some of the fare the BIRC expects to be highlighted this year includes cuisine from Japan, Korea, India, the Philippines, and Ukraine, with others still to be confirmed.

As well, market vendors can have tables at the event to sell their cultural artifacts and showcase the various souvenirs and apparel from their country or related to their culture.

Ondos said the BIRC is currently also planning the entertainment for the event, which includes music and dance performances from groups from different countries around the world.

Last year the event included Japanese drumming, plus Latina, Korean and Spanish singers, and First Nation dancers, among some of the featured artists performing. They are expected to participate again this year.

“We have many entertainers from the different places,” Ondos said. “Hopefully, this year since it’s the Year of the Dragon so we’re trying to get dancers from China to perform the Lion Dance. We’re working on it.”

To participate in this year’s Taste of Culture, contact BIRC at 306-446-0622 or immigration6@myaccess.ca.

angela.brown@pattisonmedia.com

On X: @battlefordsNOW