Cultural Connections 2025 celebrates diversity
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Westman Immigrant Services (WIS), the Brandon Local Immigration Partnership (BLIP), and the Westman Multicultural Festival Society organized Cultural Connections at Stanley Park to display the city’s rich cultural mosaic.
The event, part of the nationwide Welcome Week campaign, was to celebrate the contributions of newcomers to the community and highlighted Brandon’s growing cultural diversity, WIS spokesperson Hannah Stollery told the Sun.
“This is about recognizing how diverse Brandon is, making newcomers feel welcome, and showcasing their culture to the wider community,” Stollery said. “It’s been an incredible turnout, and we’re definitely looking at making this an annual event during Welcome Week.”
The festival featured nine to 10 cultural pavilions, each offering unique performances, traditions and tastes from around the world. Countries represented included the Philippines, India, Mauritius, El Salvador, Nigeria, Ukraine, Colombia and members of the Hispanic Association of Manitoba.
Throughout the day, visitors enjoyed a wide range of activities, from cultural dance and music performances to a fashion show that highlighted traditional attire from participating communities. Families took advantage of the kids’ bouncy castle, face painting and cultural games, such as Colombia’s traditional activities and Mauritius’ Tonk.
Organizers estimated the event would serve up to 1,000 people, making it one of the city’s most vibrant multicultural gatherings in recent years.
Despite this being the first edition, Stollery said the enthusiasm from both participants and the public has been encouraging. “What has stood out to me is how passionate each of the different pavilions is about sharing their culture. That makes us excited to build on this success next year.”
» aodutola@brandonsun.com
» X: @AbiolaOdutola