A multicultural celebration will take place this Saturday.
By Jennifer Kohlhepp, Staff Writer
PLAINSBORO — A multicultural celebration will take place this Saturday.
”Traditions” is a showcase of festivals, celebrations and holidays from around the world. The free event will feature a cultural parade as well as music, dance, folk crafts, displays, hands-on activities, traditional holiday foods, holiday history presentations and more from 1:30-4:30 p.m. on Dec. 7 at the recreational and cultural affairs building at 641 Plainsboro Road.
”It’s a multicultural celebration with cultures from around the world brought together and shared with others in the community,” Lenny Celluro, director of Recreation and Community Services in Plainsboro, said. “Plainsboro is very a multicultural community.”
”Traditions” has been held in Plainsboro since at least 2002, when it won a New Jersey Parks and Recreation special programming award, according to Celluro.
While the event has been happening for more than a decade, this year it has a theme.
”This year we’re really focusing on holiday traditions in different cultures and how different cultures celebrate different holidays — through a child’s eyes,” Mr. Celluro said.
There will be a lot of children’s performances throughout the day as well as different groups from in and around Plainsboro presenting music, dance and crafts.
”It’s the community sharing with the community for sure,” Mr. Celluro said. “Some of the holidays represented will be Hanukkah; Chinese New Year; Christmas; Eid, which is a celebration of Muslims worldwide of a feast for breaking fast; Diwali, which is an ancient Hindu festival of lights; Kwanzaa; Day of the Dead, which is a Mexican holiday and Three Kings, which in Latin communities is bigger than Christmas.”
Mr. Cellero said he received an education in cultural holidays and celebrations by helping organize the event, which the Recreation and Community Services Department and the Human Relations Council are spearheading.
”Our staff learned so much more about different cultures,” he said. “People should take advantage of coming and sharing on Saturday. We’re asking everyone to dress in their traditional garb for the cultural parade.”