Festival a showcase for cultures
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 01/02/2025 (308 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
This year’s Westman Multicultural Festival will see nearly double the number of pavilions usually on display, including new entrants from three countries, and the return of a crowd favourite after a five-year hiatus.
Festival organizer Gautam Srivastava told the Sun this year’s festival — scheduled for Feb. 6-8 — will host 11 pavilions, dotting different locations across Brandon.
“Scotland is back, we’re excited about that,” Srivastava said, “and brand new are Colombia, Nigeria and Palestine. And HAMI will be in the festival, too. That’s the Hispanic Association of Manitoba.”
A festival passport is also being introduced this year, so participants can track their tasty travels and enter a draw for a chance to win a $500 cash prize.
“The passport is a one-page document that people can download from our website, https://gotothepavilions.com/. They will get a stamp at each location, and if they’re able to visit all pavilions, they’ll be entered to win,” Srivastava said.
Now in its 16th year, the festival venues will range from community centres and halls to hotel ballrooms, event centres and a church.
“What I love about the festival is that most cultural groups and people who put on the pavilions are new Canadians. We’re not at the point in the Westman region where there are multiple generations who have been in Canada since the ’60s or ’70s,” said Srivastava.
“So, this allows them to maintain their culture and show the Westman community what their culture is all about.”
Along with Colombia, Nigeria, Palestine, HAMI and Scotland, the other countries hosting pavilions are El Salvador, India, Jamaica, Mauritius, Philippines and Ukraine.
Three countries — El Salvador, India and Ukraine — will open Thursday evening, which is one day earlier than the other venues. But all 11 will be open Friday evening and then all day and evening on Saturday.
There is no charge to get into any of the pavilions, and once inside, each culture presents music, dance, and in some cases — souvenirs. But it’s the food, added Srivastava, that always seems to be the main attraction.
“Most of the pavilions work on a similar model. There’ll be large dinner-type plates that are probably in the $15 to $20 range. There will also be smaller plates around $10 or so. And in our India pavilion, we’ll have desserts,” said Srivastava.
“So just come and try some foods that you’ve never tried before, or maybe there’s food that you are in love with and can’t wait to taste again. We’re all just so very excited to be putting this on for the community,” he said.
The work that goes into confirming the countries, booking the talent, planning the menus and lining up volunteers is a “labour of love,” Srivastava said.
This year hasn’t been without its financial challenges, he added. A federal grant that the organizing committee has applied for and received in the past did not come through this year.
“Sadly, our funding application was rejected, so everything’s out of pocket,” said Srivastava.
“Some of the bigger pavilions work on a break-even model, so after past festivals, we used the grant money to divvy among the pavilions to ‘make a profit for them to put towards their cultural association.’”
“So, we are really, really relying on the Westman community to come out (and) support the pavilions,” he said.
Finding and securing venues was not a problem for organizers this year, as it was right after the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2021 and 2022, every venue in Brandon was snapped up after events were cancelled.
The Westman Multicultural Festival went dark for three years, but in 2023, a one-day summer event was held to “keep the connection with the community,” said Srivastava.
“Our countries may or may not get along politically, globally or historically, but we can all work together as a cultural community to put on an event for Westman. And that’s a big, big thing for me.”
The opening ceremony will be held on Thursday, Feb. 6, at the Ukraine Pavilion in the National Ukrainian Hall at 1133 Stickney Ave. at 5:45 p.m.
» mmcdougall@brandonsun.com
» X: @enviromichele