MARYSVILLE — An already warm, sunny Saturday became even more lively at Comeford Park, when music, folktales and cuisine from around the world came together for Marysville’s first Multicultural Fair.
While Lois Landgrebe and Kelly Moses shared traditional stories from Native American tribes, the Tarantellas played songs from Italy and Mi Pais performed Mexican mariachi music. The Rhythms of India group demonstrated Bollywood-style dances, while the Voices of the Village showed that a band made up of adults with developmental disabilities can rock out.
Organizer Susan Stachowiak received positive comments about how smoothly the event ran.
“We tried to incorporate as many different cultures that are present in our community as we could,” Stachowiak said. “We wanted cultural information to be shared, so that everyone would learn at least one new thing about a different culture.”
Not only is Stachowiak aiming to incorporate more cultures in future fairs, but she’d also like to offer more activities for children.
“I loved the vibrancy we presented on the stage, both visually and audibly, especially in the vivid colors of the international flags surrounding it, and in the costumes of the Mexican and Indian dancers,” Stachowiak said. “The flags, I’m told, brought tears to one man’s eyes when he spotted his own native Kenyan flag amongst the others.”
Even away from the central stage, regional groups were represented at booths to showcase the broader spectrum of the community.
Ben Young, executive board member of the Snohomish County NAACP, promoted the group’s Youth Development Program.
“I enjoyed what I saw, which was a great deal of community sharing,” Young said. “I enjoyed coming together in a positive way for community, and not to protest some injustice. It was a celebration.”
Young hopes the city will continue the fair and expand its outreach, “as I did not see enough African-Americans there.”
Kristy Vess, communication specialist for the Hearing, Speech and Deafness Center, struck a similar tone of overall positivity with constructive criticisms, since she wished event organizers had been able to provide American Sign Language interpreters.
“It’s nice to work with the committee, who appreciates our feedback,” Vess said. “The layout was also great, not too cluttered, but open and nicely organized.”
Stachowiak added: “Some attendees were amazed at the diversity of cultures we have here, since we don’t often take time to reflect on how many different cultures we interact with every day. The more interactions people have with persons from different cultures, the more we dispel myths and break down erroneous stereotypes.”
