(Pictures: South Asian Cultural Fest)
The South Asian Cultural Festival is set to take place on July 27 and 28 from 12 to 8 p.m. This year, it has expanded, featuring 12 food and goods vendors more than in 2023, along with 14 performers compared to last year’s 10, highlighting the growth and increased community engagement for its second edition.
Raunak Seth and Kayley MacGregor, co-founders of The Cultural Gully and organizers of this event emphasize the importance of celebrating this region’s talent, artistry, and culinary heritage that had not been seen in London.
“We saw a gap in the market where many communities were doing festivals, which is great, but no one was representing South Asian culture, so we wanted to bring together people from all our South Asian countries and to signify their small businesses, and different art forms, to share that culture with the various Canadians: that is why we started,” says Raunak Seth.
According to Seth, the festival focuses on that piece of home away from home, especially immigrants who miss their country. “We want to make sure when we are so far away, we don’t feel as if we are too far away from our own home. You can smell food from different streets. Once you start walking downtown you will hear some sounds and artists.”
“We have not just one particular dish, there are many. We can name a few: from Punjab, we have parathas; from Gujarat, dabelis, and vada pavs; and from Nepal, momos and skewers. We have food items that people can enjoy from different places,” he adds.
With a blend of traditional and modern influences, the festival promises a rich cultural experience. “Attendees can look forward to a wide array of festivities representing various regions, including India, Bhutan, Nepal, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. There will be Bharatanatyam dancers, modern Bollywood singers, and games,” says Kayley MacGregor.
Given the diversity of activities planned for the 2024 version, a substantial turnout of locals and visitors is anticipated. “The festival has become our main flagship event, with last year’s attendance of around 5,000 people and expectations for an even larger audience this year,” Seth concludes. The event is free and open to the public at Dundas Place Block 1 near Budweiser Gardens.
