4th Annual Celebration of Cultures Brought Hundreds to Downtown Bel Air

From Harford County government:

On Saturday, May 4, 2013, nearly 300 people visited the Bel Air Reckord Armory to explore the 4th Annual Celebration of Cultures, sponsored by the Harford County Human Relations Commission in partnership with LASOS, Inc. (Linking All So Other Succeed), the Town of Bel Air and the Harford County Cultural Arts Board. The Celebration was a family-friendly event designed to highlight the many cultures within Harford County.

“This is a wonderful event; it’s a great opportunity for community members to learn from and about our proud heritages,” said several attendees. Excited and enthusiastic exhibitors left the premises planning for next year.

Attendees enjoyed unique cultural performances throughout the day such as the Forest Lakes Band, Kilcoyne Irish Dancers, Sunrise Mariachi Band, Isabel, Chungs Martial Arts, a BOKWA Demonstration, and Saints Mary Magdalene and Markella Greek Orthodox Church Dancers.

World Trade Exhibits allowed participants to enjoy Asian Letter Writing, where attendees could have their names written using the Asian alphabet; A Touch of Fashion from India where a participant was wrapped in a sari, a true one-size-fits-all garment; Fun with Dreidel where people played a game often associated with Hanukah, learned about Hanukah traditions and the Hebrew alphabet; a taste of Greek culture and cuisine was found at the exhibit sponsored by Saints Mary Magdalene and Markella Greek Orthodox Church; Project Iman: Where Faith and Community Become One included a duck game, where matching the numbers on two ducks resulted in candy treats for players, henna designs were available, as well as a chance to try a hijab (a head covering worn in public by some Muslim women); Tipi: History, Construction and Use offered an opportunity to learn about tipi ownership, design and construction, and participants actually assisted in erecting a tipi; and Guess the Cultures, where attendees viewed and handled odd items then tried to guess where the items originated and their use.

A visit to the Children’s Garden included stops for face painting, henna designs, dancing around the May pole, petting Peter Cottontail at 4 H Small Paws – Animals from Around the World, books and games from the Harford County Public Library and a visit from the hula hoop performers.

Additionally, there was a passport drawing designed to encourage Celebration participants to visit Downtown Bel Air’s Main Street businesses, and delectable ethnic treats were provided at the WOLO truck.

For more information about Celebration of Cultures, contact the Harford County Department of Community Services, Office of Human Relations, at 410-638-4739.