Nelson’s ethnicities were sizzling at the cooking stations and wowing the masses on stage at the annual Multicultural Festival at Founders Heritage Park on Sunday.
The event has been the Multicultural Nelson Tasman’s numero uno for more than two decades and remains tried-and-true in uniting the flourishing cultural groups who call the city home.
Multicultural Nelson Tasman chair, Felicity Palmer, says the event had lured “incredible feedback” from the crowds who were enthralled with colour, cuisine, dance, music and a human library.
“The most important thing is to bring the community together and to practice our slogan, unity in diversity… people love being able to come out and learn more about what is going on in Nelson and how diverse it is,” she says.
“It’s very important that our region is a welcoming and supportive space for newcomers, former refugees, migrants, international students, and all who come to Whakatū Nelson from far flung areas, so everyone can flourish no matter their background.”
Felicity says the highlighted cultures at the festival included Brazilian, Colombian, Chilean Chinese, Thai, Filipino, Indonesian, Indian, Japanese, South Korean, Sri Lankan, Palestinian, Pasifika, Māori and European.
“The members of those communities love to have this opportunity to share more about their culture, their performances, their heritage, their traditions, their food, and just to have a great time.”
