By Ewa Chwojko-Srawley
The Sanskrit language has a saying: Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam — the world is truly one family. That saying was on the lips of Tushar Patel, board member of Georgina Parivar, an Indo-Canadian Community group, as he greeted the crowd at the Town of Georgina’s first-ever Cultural Festival on September 20.
The event, held at the ROC, was a celebration of traditions from around the globe, from Bollywood beats to Scottish Highland steps.
Patel says, “We started Parivar in 2017 with just a few friends. Now we have more than 500 members, some who have lived in Georgina for decades, and others who just moved here last week. For us, it’s all about giving back to the community that has become our home away from home.”
Parivar brought multiple booths and a full cultural program, topped by a mesmerizing Bollywood performance choreographed by dancer Niki Patel that had the audience clapping, swaying, and leaping up to join in.
join the crowd, following Tushar Patel as he leads festival goers in the fun.
Food stole the show too. Lines stretched at every stand, featuring dishes from the Georgina Chinese Association, Georgina Black Excellence Society, Dina’s Cuzina, Al-Falah Islamic Centre, and more.
“Food brings us together, always,” said Kendra Shae-Marie Mullings of the Black Excellence Society. “We’re highlighting Nigerian cuisine, and our stand also features a ‘braid bar’, which is run by Janae Layne, who is a poetry contest winner.”
The Georgina Chinese Association, with its president RunPing Zhang, wowed festivalgoers with music, stories, and culture from a rapidly growing community of nearly 600 members. RunPing Zhang said that their goal is to support families, and local business owners while sharing Chinese culture with neighbours.
Highlights included a dazzling 1920s Shanghai fashion show, Tai Chi demonstrations, songs, lively drumming, and, of course, tasty Chinese cuisine samples.
Zaheeda Rahim, and Sister Batool, representing Georgina’s Muslim community, called the event a milestone. “We’re a new group, not even a year old,” Rahim said. “But already over 100 people have joined. Events like this help us connect and grow.”
Beyond the bites and the beats, festivalgoers tried their hand at weaving, henna, macramé, yoga, and more.
Jodi Pridham, Manager of Cultural Services, and Carlie McCormick, Special Events Supervisor, admitted it took hard work—and some word-of-mouth detective work—to bring the festival together. Seeing the turnout, both hope it becomes a beloved annual tradition.
“Today is just the beginning,” Mayor Margaret Quirk said. “We love food, we love music, and this festival is a way of travelling the world right here in Georgina. We hope even more groups will join us next year.”
The crowd couldn’t have agreed more. “This is the best festival ever,” said Catherine, a student. “It should happen every single day!”
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