The latest edition of the Collage Cultural Festival served as a celebration of the different cultures found in the Estevan area.
The annual event, organized by Southeast Newcomer Services (SNS), was held on Saturday at the Estevan Exhibition Association’s building. Several hundred people attended throughout the day to enjoy the variety of entertainment, activities, cultural displays and foods that were offered.
Entertainers included the Drewitz School of Dance, Filipino folk singer Rose Niverba, the Estevan Filipino Canadian Association dancers, Greek dancers and Tara Christenson's Zumba dance.
“Our performers were excellent this year,” said Stephanie Kane Davis, the information services advisor for SNS.
Asian, Filipino, Mediterranean, Peruvian, Indigenous, Ukrainian and East Indian food could be purchased for lunch. Kane Davis tried several different foods during the day, and came away impressed with the cuisine.
Activities included a doll making class, a dreamcatcher workshop, cultural readings, a Gypsy corner wisdom table, Ukrainian Easter eggs, henna tattoos and Filipino jewelry. Displays were from Métis, Filipino, Chinese, Vietnamese and Korean cultures.
Kane Davis believes the venue was a big boost for the event. Previous editions of Collage were held in the Estevan Leisure Centre’s multipurpose room and hallway, so the food booths were in a different area from the entertainment.
She was pleased to see everything in one building.
“People were able to just walk and go from vendor to booth and then watch the entertainment, which really made it a spectacular event,” said Kane Davis.
Kane Davis credited the staff at SNS and volunteers from the Settlement Workers in Schools program for their contributions to the event and for making it a success.
“They were just great,” said Kane Davis. “They went around and helped volunteer and helped with the activities and helped with the cleanup.”
She would eventually like to see Collage become a bigger event, potentially inside Affinity Place, but that would be dependent on grants and other types of funding.
