Latest news with #culturalfestival
CBC
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- CBC
'It's very fun': DiverseCity Festival hosts 4th event in Summerside
Social Sharing Quincy Cumayas has been in Canada for a year, but she found herself centre stage at Sunday's DiverseCity festival event in Summerside, P.E.I., singing for the attendees. It was the 10-year-old's first time attending one of these events, but she has sung at other events in the past where she sang things like O Canada and the Filipino national anthem. The event brought a wide range of different cultures together at the Lefurgey Cultural Centre. "It's very fun actually. I can, like, meet other people, like, other cultures," said Cumayas, who started singing when she was just three years old. She said she liked the event and would come back to another. The event, put on by the Immigration and Refugee Services Association, is set up to help connect Islanders with newcomers, allowing both to learn more about their respective cultures. Longtime attendee Said Akbar Sadat has been coming to DiverseCity events since 2018. He's originally from Afghanistan, but came to the Island in 2007. He was at the festival serving up traditional Afghani food. "They love it, they said it's a unique food, Afghani food," said Sadat. He started preparing food at 4 a.m. and then drove to the event five hours later. Sadat said he enjoyed trying different foods, such as Filipino, Indian and Mexican options. Event co-ordinator Hai Nguyen, who is originally from Vietnam, said he enjoys seeing people from other backgrounds come together. "I feel so happy when I see them, you know, with different kind of languages," he said. Even if Nguyen can't understand the languages in the musical performances, he still enjoys it. "We have dancing, we have singing, and we have instruments ... but actually I really enjoy the melody," said Nguyen.
BBC News
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Ulster Fleadh: Warrenpoint on song with traditional music and dance
Forty thousand singers, dancers, musicians and supporters are expected in Warrenpoint this week for the 2025 Ulster is the first time the town in County Down has hosted the celebration of traditional Irish music, dance and language in 16 by the local branch of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann, the cultural festival runs from 20 to 27 July and features competitions and sessions across a number of the All-Ireland Fleadh taking place in Belfast next year, organisers are hopeful their "semi-final" event can showcase the region as a potential host for a future All-Ireland Fleadh. An estimated 600,000 people attend the All-Ireland Fleadh each Quinn, the chairperson of this year's Ulster event, says more than 3,000 people will take part in the main competitions at St Mark's High School next then, it is hoped bars, cafes, halls, squares and parks in Warrenpoint and nearby Rostrevor will be alive with traditional music."There were 30 to 35,000 people at last year's event in Dromore in County Tyrone," he said."The projection for this year is 40,000. That's because Dromore is a small town and doesn't have the same number of facilities we have here in Warrenpoint. "So the town is going to be very busy with live music, dancing and singing all the way through the week." The festival began on Sunday night with a céilí (traditional dance) in Rostrevor Square that served the dual purpose of bringing the curtain down on the village's annual Fiddler's Green the week ahead, Mr Quinn says that planned and impromptu sessions will take place in a variety of venues."We have sessions planned for each of the pubs and clubs and people to lead those sessions but we know that as soon as the pubs open and people wander in for a coffee that someone will have a guitar with them, or a tin whistle or a set of pipes and they'll keep playing until they're thrown out – probably the following Sunday."As well as making full use of the town's Edwardian bandstand, a gig rig and artisan market will be erected in the town park. The full Fleadh dream With the full Fleadh coming to Belfast next year, Mr Quinn says the dream remains to bring the event to the shores of Carlingford Lough."It's always in the back of your mind - that would be the dream," he said. "But a lot of work goes into this. We've a small committee and they have been superb. "This is about trying to get a name for this place and getting people into this part of the world."
BBC News
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
The Twelfth: Belfast women say celebrations are generations in the making
The Twelfth has been celebrated by Stacey Graham's family for Graham, from the Shankill Road in Belfast, was part of an all-woman band playing accordions and drums on the road on Friday."My family members were members of the Orange Order for many, many years," she told BBC News NI."My kids now, they get involved in the parade, my kids would be out volunteering around the different cultural events."So for us it's that sort of warm, welcoming, family atmosphere." Friday was a day of festivities, with the Greater Shankill Community Festival taking place."The Shankill's usually buzzing," Ms Graham said."It would start off during the day with barbeques, Lambeg drummers, highland dancers, just bringing the community together to get the atmosphere up and running.""It finishes off about seven o'clock with a parade on the Shankill."It's quite apt this year that the theme we're running with is bonfires, to showcase that bonfires are a real positive community cultural expression." Julie Davidson from the ACT Initiative - a community group based on the Shankill - said preparations had been taking place for weeks."I run a women's programme in the ACT Initiative and we have been meeting for six to eight weeks," she said."We would make a lot of costumes for all the festivals that would go on on the Shankill.""The whole community turns out."Like Stacey Graham, Ms Davidson said she had been brought up with the Twelfth."I have enjoyed the Twelfth from I was born on the Shankill Road in 1970," she said."It's always been a big day to the community, to my family, to me." The Woodvale Festival has been taking place all week in Woodvale Park in west Belfast and Friday was family fun brought a fun fair to the park and a street party in Twaddell the road, visitors to the area were offered free tours of the historic west Belfast Queen Elizabeth II Orange Hall from William Humphrey, who is a former Democratic Unionist Party assembly member and chairman of the Orange said the Twelfth attracted people to the area."We've got people from across the United Kingdom who are here to take part in tomorrow's procession, but we've also got people right across the world," he said."I was speaking to someone only moments ago who's travelled all the way from California to witness the Twelfth.""The Twelfth of July is a huge community and cultural event."At the back of the Orange Hall children were getting some face paint and temporary tattoos, while their families got some shade from the hot sun. With the annual Twelfth celebrations though, came controversy around some have been concerns over asbestos at a bonfire in south a contentious bonfire in County Tyrone, with an effigy of refugees in a boat on top of it, is being investigated as a hate incident by Ms Graham, the controversy should not overshadow the Twelfth."There's a frustration for me because the controversy around bonfires is often unwarranted," she said."I feel that there are people that would use anything to try and demonise Orange or loyalist or unionist culture.""For us, it's important for people to see events like this to showcase that we are so much more than the negative stereotypes and the demonization that some people try to put upon our community."
South China Morning Post
27-06-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong eyes hosting Brazil's national football team at Kai Tak Stadium
Hong Kong hopes to host Brazil's national football team at Kai Tak Stadium, the city's finance chief has said as the South American country's traditional Carnival festival made its debut in the city. Speaking at the opening ceremony of 'Extravaganza! When Brazil Meets Hong Kong' on Friday, Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po said the event would help to deepen 'cross-cultural connections' as he pitched the city as Asia's events capital. 'I'm glad that this festival has brought energy and joy to communities across the city,' he said. 'You are helping to enrich our cultural landscape and deepen cross-cultural connections.' Chan said that the government was committed to strengthening Hong Kong's role as Asia's events capital, as he highlighted a slew of events set to be hosted at the recently opened Kai Tak Stadium. 'More than concerts and rugby, we are welcoming a number of top-class football matches there. I certainly hope we can host the Brazilian national football team sometime soon.' The three-day cultural festival was launched at AIA Vitality Park on Friday and includes shows by Brazilian dance performers and appearances by top footballers from South America, with national food and drink being served up for the occasion.
Arab News
20-06-2025
- Sport
- Arab News
Pakistan's Shandur Polo Festival kicks off at world's highest ground, draws global tourists
PESHAWAR: Pakistan's annual Shandur Polo Festival began Friday at an altitude of 12,000 feet in the country's mountainous north, with officials calling it a celebration of culture, sportsmanship and peace that draws tourists from around the world. Held each year at the Shandur Pass in Upper Chitral, the three-day festival features traditional freestyle polo matches between teams from Chitral and Gilgit-Baltistan, alongside folk music, camping, paragliding and cultural exhibitions. The event is considered a major tourist attraction and is played on what is often described as the highest polo ground in the world. 'Shandur Polo is one of our most important cultural sports, played at 12,000 feet,' said Syed Fakhar Jahan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs, at the opening ceremony, according to an official statement. 'Spectators and tourists from around the world come to witness this unique event,' he added. 'We welcome them all.' The festival sees teams from Gilgit and Chitral compete in fast-paced, no-holds-barred matches played without umpires, a throwback to the region's centuries-old polo traditions. Officials say the event aims to foster unity and harmony between the two regions, which share historical ties and a friendly sporting rivalry. 'Such activities send a message of peace to the world,' the provincial minister said. 'Pakistanis are a people who cherish their cultural heritage, and this festival reflects that spirit.'
