If you like entertainment, good food, and learning about culture, you will not want to miss out on the Living Traditions Festival this weekend.
Living Traditions is a celebration of Salt Lake’s Folk and Ethnic Arts. Over 50 ethnic groups gather together to present their cultural diversity, traditions and lifestyles with pride.
Casey Jarman, director of the festival, says it’s an exciting way for several minorities and smaller communities to teach us about their culture.
“It’s really fun for everyone,” Jarman said. “It is especially a great opportunity for returned missionaries and future missionaries to experience and get to know cultures from around the world.”
The entertainment is exceptional. Ricardo Lemvo, from Zaire and his group, with Makina Loca will be performing an exciting blend of Cuban and African traditions through their music on Friday at 8:30 p.m.
According to L.A. Weekly, Ricardo Lemvo describes his music as “what I’m doing is not totally Zairean and it’s deinitely not totally Cuban, but it’s got elements of both.”
On Saturday at 8:30 p.m., the special guest is Natalie MacMaster and her quartet, performing Celtic music in the style of her native Nova Scotia.
You won’t need to worry about going hungry at the festival. Twenty ethnic groups will prepare and sell a vast selection of traditional foods, from omelettes and crepes prepared by the Alliance Francaise and basque sausages, to Thai egg rolls and Scottish desserts.
Crafts and demonstrations are also presented at Living Traditions. More than two dozen tents house demonstrating artisans talk about their work and skills.
Through the demonstrations and crafts, visitors have the opportunity to learn a lot about the uniqueness of each culture. Shopping makes it possible for visitors to bring home a new culture.
