SURREY FUSION FESTIVAL
July 21, 20-18

Once again, as we do every year, Surrey celebrates Canada's rich cultural diversity at its spectacular two day Fusion Festival in Holland Park. In the bright afternoon sunshine, I watch the opening parade: participants dressed in colourful traditional costumes smile and wave to cheering crowds.They hail from forty-six or more countries and while originally from Afghanistan, Russia, Zambia, India, Vietnam and Palestine and other remote lands, they are Canadians who take pride in sharing the traditional music and dances from the countries of their birth.

I mingle with the crowds —a shifting mosaic of colours and attire: tall African women wearing coloured turbans, burkha clad ladies from the Middle East, tie-dye saris and mirror-work kurta-pyjamas mark the many visitors from India and Pakistan; burly turbanned Sikh elders and darkly handsome young men from Sri Lanka. Embroidered blouses and sweeping skirts adorn women from Mexico and a yamulkh sits snugly on the head of a bearded Jewish visitor.

Families, some pushing prams, others with kids in tow, teenagers licking ice-cream cones and stout grandmothers trying to keep up with energetic toddlers. A special kids section seethes with excitement and activity. Music from the five or more concert stages, wafts across the air and crowds watching performances clap and roar their approval.

Stalls from countries across the globe offer tempting handicrafts - carved African figures, beaded purses, silver jewelry, tie-dye cotton kaftans, hand-painted brooches, framed paintings. And oh the food! There's something for everyone! The aroma of spicy kebabs wafts on the air and mingles with the smell British style fried fish and chips from a London bus stall a short way off. People lining up in front of the Thai stall are drawn by the sizzle of noodles; the more adventurous sample curries from Afghanistan. Cash buys tickets sold in denominations of $1.00, and can be purchased from two or three stalls throughout the grounds. Most meals cost around $10.00.

I am mesmerized by a variety of stage performances: ramrod straight Celtic dancers, arms stiffly by their sides click and tap their feet on the stage floor. At another venue, Indian Kathakali dancers with their graceful flowing gestures charm their audience. And, not to be ignored is the roistering exuberance of Bhangra performers where members from the audience are invited up onto the stage to participate in a Bhangra dance lesson. My knockout favourite? A Mexican Mariachi band and dancers that has the audience up and dancing in the aisles.