By Sarah Opdahl

New Fairfield Public Schools Festival of Cultures was a tremendously unique and joyful event last year, with students, staff, and community members joining to learn from, and spend time with, one another. Good news: the collaborative cultural gathering is once again in the works. Rebels for CommUNITY, a student group, will host the free event at New Fairfield High School on Saturday, March 28, 10:00 a.m, – 2:00 p.m.; it is intended to reach Town residents beyond the current school community.  The event is “designed to celebrate the rich diversity within our town,” advisor, and world language faculty leader, Ernest Fabrizio-Garcia said. He added, “We were very happy with the success of last year’s Festival and wanted to repeat the event in the hopes that even more people from the community would participate. We got some terrific feedback from the performers and about the displays.”

Given last year’s success, “We’re keeping it similar,” Fabrizio-Garcia shared, “We have performers slated from many countries, along with displays and activities for children and families.” Where, in previous years, the district had an internal festival, reaching out to include the greater community was a win-win for all involved. Just as it was last year, the primary aims of the festival are to highlight cultural diversity in New Fairfield, to promote an understanding and appreciation of global traditions through interactive displays, performances, and presentations; and, to foster a sense of community pride and unity by celebrating the unique contributions of all cultures within the town.

“We had over 300 participants last year and would love to double that,” Fabrizio-Garcia exclaimed, and those in attendance will certainly be in for a wealth of treats. “We have representatives from our Italian, French, Chinese, and Spanish programs, along with our Fashion Design program, and community representation for Jamaica, Albania, Brazil, Turkey, and Ghana. Our performers represent China, Mexico, Ireland, and Portugal,” he shared. Last year’s dance and music performances were delightful and will surely be once again. New this year is weaving, along with Chinese calligraphy and other folk crafts. In addition, the Rebel Cafe will sell delicious foods from around the world, plus a variety of crafts and raffles will be on sale to benefit various clubs.

Rebels for CommUNITY is now seeking more participants. “We would love members of the community to man a table and share their culture. Our participants especially love to hear about how people celebrate holidays and special occasions,” Fabrizio-Garcia said. Cooking demonstrations, artwork or costume demonstrations, and crafts would all be welcome additions to the festival. In addition, it was noted that they would love for any local businesses to participate by either manning a table or selling snacks and treats from different parts of the world. Any local business that would like to sponsor the event can contact Fabrizio-Garcia directly (see below).

Fabrizio-Garcia pointed out, “The Festival of Cultures will provide an invaluable opportunity for residents to learn about and celebrate their neighbors’ cultural backgrounds. By fostering greater understanding and respect, the event will strengthen the fabric of our community and create lasting memories for participants and attendees alike. We hope that students will see the awesome diversity of New Fairfield and be proud to celebrate their own cultural heritage, whatever it may be.” Anyone interested in getting involved in any capacity, from hosting a table to performing and beyond, can contact: fabriziogarcia.ernes@newfairfieldschools.org.