I have lived in Calgary for over 10 years and I have never attended GlobalFest, if you can believe that. But let me tell you, I have really been missing out. This Friday, I was fortunate enough to go to the China exposition of GlobalFest. I was surprised to see the array of cultural hubs that the festival incorporated at Elliston Park. When most people think of GlobalFest, they usually imagine a whirlwind of fireworks. However, many of us neglect the “global” aspect to the festival.
There were a countless arrangement of tents with different cultures represented within them. One of my favourites was the Mexican tent, with a display of the country’s traditional Day of the Dead. I also visited the Ukrainian booth. This was one of the most exciting tents, especially because of the swarm of children attempting to do the leg-burning Ukrainian dance. Not only were there tents to signify the variety of cultures within our community, but there were also an assortment of international cuisine. From Quebec to Poland, to to the tropical shores of Jamaica and many more, these ethnic food hubs drew hefty line ups within a half hour of the gates opening to the festival. My friend and I were fortunate enough to savour some samosas before the park became too crowded.Soon enough, evening crouched upon us and the fireworks began. I have always watched the fireworks from the distant quarters of my home’s balcony.
However, experiencing the fireworks from within the boundaries of the park was a completely more exuberant experience. From the distance, these magnificent fireworks only appear as mere sparkling lights in the sky. But from a close extremity, these fireworks are dancing to the featured music of the night. The effect of the variety of fireworks in sync with the tunes is just fascinating. This particular night’s performance came from China’s competitors, and so the fireworks enchanted the night sky with the melodies of the far East.
I cannot wait to attend more nights offered by GlobalFest. If you can, I suggest you to snag any tickets for the last treasured dates of GlobalFest. It is not just a fantastic display of lights in the sky but most importantly, a night representing the joining of an array of global cultures within our community. GlobalFest is truly “Alberta’s most explosive festival!”