The Skokie Festival of Culture opened with a full schedule of cultural heritage performances Saturday, including ethnic food and cultural presentations. But Sunday morning, the second fest day, the only sound was the patter of rain along Cultural Pavilion route and the sight of puddling grasses beneath the rain-soaked World Showcase stage.
Nevertheless, “for me this has been a seven-month process of planning committee meetings and coordinating community involvement, and one thing is for sure, the show must go on,” said Jon Marquardt, Skokie Park District assistant superintendent of recreation.
Participants and organizers seemed undaunted by Sunday’s weather, and said they wouldn’t miss an opportunity to share their cultural heritage.
The festival showcased 40 cultural booths including Slovakian, Swedish, Cambodian, Croatian, Iraqi, Irish and more. It included two days filled with over 60 ethnic folk music and dance performances, a wide range of food, unique arts and crafts, a children’s activity area and a merchandise marketplace.
While Saturday’s attendance was estimated at close to 10,000, organizers said, some of Sunday’s program was temporarily moved inside the Oakton Community Center where a number of scheduled performers also gathered to wait out the rain.
The festival kicked Friday evening with International Short Films presented in the Oakton Community Center.
“Brand new this year, Saturday’s Holi: Festival of Colours, a traditional Indian celebration that takes place all across the Indian subcontinent signifying good vs. evil and the coming of spring,” Marquardt said.
The Pilsner Urquell International Beer Garden was also open on both Saturday and Sunday.
According to Marquardt, Skokie is a community with over 100 different languages spoken in the downtown area.
“During the year, each cultural group tends to stay in their own pod,” Marquardt said, “but this event brings everybody out to celebrate, and no matter what else is happening in the world we come together here in Skokie.”
Visitors were invited to receive their free “Passport to the World,” official festival guide, with a passport theme this year, “Influential Women Around the World.”
Chuck Lantrey of Homewood attended the festival with granddaughters Nora and Bridget Lantrey, both from Skokie.
“The Skokie Cultural Fest is a phenomenal place to experience such rich cultural diversity to enjoy this variety so close to home,” he said.
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The event was presented by the Skokie Park District, the Village of Skokie and the Skokie Public Library.
“The event honors our cultural diversity and the many languages and traditions that make up our Skokie community,” said Howard Meyer, executive director of the Skokie Chamber or Commerce. “Our diversity has become part of our public and community institutions and has led to our greatest success.”
