THUNDER BAY — The Folklore Festival Committee and the Thunder Bay Multicultural Society are putting the finishing touches on the 51st annual Folklore Festival, which is set to kick off this weekend.
Everyone is invited to “Travel the World in 48 Hours” on Saturday and Sunday.
“Come on Thunder Bay, you want to come out and you want to have the time of your life because it's waiting for you at the Fort William Gardens and Curling Club, where you will travel the world without even flying out of Thunder Bay,” said Jeanetty Jumah, chair of sponsorship and promotion.
“And I'd like to invite everyone from Northwestern Ontario, Northern Ontario, the northern U.S. states, because we get people from there all the time.
"It's just a drive away and you can come and experience the world right here in Thunder Bay.”
Saturday will feature entertainment from groups with a whole host of different cultural and ethnic backgrounds, including “Descarga Latina Dance” from the Folklorama Talent Agency and Winnipeg, who plan to heat up the main stage on Saturday Night.
Beyond entertainment, the festival will also include foods from across the world, including imported beers and wines, all available at the Folklore International Food Court.
“We have an amazing array of foods, international and First Nations. The Bannock Lady is there,” Jumah said.
“We've got Cajun Fusion bringing the world to us with Spanish empanadas and African cuisine there, the Italians are there, the Slovaks are there, we have Lebanese food, I could go on and on, but it's going to be delicious”
Tickets for the over 50-year-old festival are still just $5 for adults, $3 for seniors and students, $1 for children aged 4-12 and free for children under 4. Anyone who gets their hand stamped on Saturday can return free of charge on Sunday.
“And when those families come in with the children, they are going to find all the activities in the children's area free and available to them,” said Jumah.
“And everyone coming to Folklore will be touched by the grace and beauty of the performances on our stage.”
Attendees also have the chance to win a free stay-cation, courtesy of the Superior Inn Hotel & Conference Centre.
The festival runs on Saturday from noon until 11 p.m. and Sunday from noon until 7 p.m.
Learn more by visiting the festival’s website or social media page.
