Huron Multicultural Festival Kicks Off Summer This Canada Day Weekend

by Bob Montgomery

Huron County's Multicultural Festival promises to be bigger and better this year.

This year's Multicultural Festival will be a two day event from Friday June 28th to Saturday June 29th. The gates open at six o'clock on Friday night in Courthouse Park in Goderich and the show starts at eight o'clock.

Tickets are now on sale for renowned artist Digging Roots, winners of the 2023 Canadian JUNO Award for Contemporary Indigenous Group of the Year. Digging Roots breathes life into songs from their land, Turtle Island, to raise their voices in solidarity with a global chorus of Indigenous artists, activists, and change-makers. For over a decade, Digging Roots has travelled the world with a joyful message of resistance, celebrating Anishinaabe and Onkwehónwe traditions of round dance and interconnectedness. 

Opening for Digging Roots is Drives the Common Man, a Mi’kmaq singer, songwriter, producer/composer out of southern Ontario who gathered over 200,000 followers on TikTok during the pandemic. Drives is a young artist on the rise. His passion for pop and rock creates a nostalgic blend of alternative pop. Tickets for concert goers are available on Eventbrite for only $20 thanks to the generous support of the County of Huron’s Cultural Services, Economic Development and Local Immigration Partnership, as well as the Town of Goderich, Capital Power, Bruce Power, Ontario Lottery and Gaming, and McDonalds.

Huron Multicultural Festival’s vibrant celebration of diversity and culture continues on Saturday, June 29th from noon until six in the evening in Courthouse Park, with a diverse array of free activities for all ages. The festival includes a stage show of music and dance from around the world, a global food court and marketplace, children’s activities, and a licensed beer garden.

Performers taking the stage throughout the day include Ritmo y Café, Waterloo Kung Fu Academy Lion Dancers, Eagle Flight Singers & Dancers and more. For a full listing of performers and vendors, visit the site here.

"We are thrilled to celebrate the beauty of diversity and the power of unity in an inclusive and interactive Festival that celebrates the customs and traditions of Canada’s varied populations," said Karen Stewart, Cultural Development Officer for the County of Huron. "Through music, dance, art, and food, we hope to foster understanding, respect, and appreciation for the many cultures that enrich our community."

For more information, please visit www.huroncounty.ca/cultural-services/multicultural-festival

Digging Roots

Drives the Common Man

Photos courtesy of Huron County Multicultural Festival