Summer Starts Here

Starts here! 02 By Jennifer McFee IT'S NOW EASIER THAN EVER TO ENJOY THE CULTURES OF THE WORLD — ALL FROM THE COMFORT OF YOUR OWN BACKYARD. Folklorama At Home is a new program that will allow the popular annual event to continue to operate on a smaller scale while still adhering to social distancing recommendations. Executive director Teresa Cotroneo says there was an outpouring of support when the popular multicultural festival was cancelled this year due to COVID-19. "The community was telling us how they understood but, of course, they were disappointed," she says. "That really inspired us to put our heads together and think about what we could do to bring something back to the community." They came up with a package to bring Folklorama right to people's homes, as well as other options to offer the experience at school, at work and at play. "We know that the there are certain parts of the festival that are people's favourites — definitely the food and the entertainment — that we were able to package up and deliver right to a person's door," Cotroneo says. "Essentially, you can think of it as a pavilion pop-up party in your own backyard or driveway." The Folklorama At Home experience can be customized to suit any price point, with something for everybody. "We work with all budgets so we would be able to put something customized together based on what they would like to see for the entertainment and food service," Cotroneo says. "Then we would have some of our members from that respective culture deliver the food to your home in their cultural attire. A show would be organized with the entertainment as well. We would follow whatever the safety restrictions allow." Within the first week of announcing the new Folklorama At Home program, more than 50 inquiries had already been received. "People are loving it. We've had requests already for special parties, such as fiftieth birthdays. There are lot of people who have stories of meeting their significant other at Folklorama, so it could be a great way to celebrate an anniversary," Cotroneo adds. "If you're going be catering some food anyway, why not do it with a cultural theme and entertainment? Whether it's a singer or instrumentalist or dancer, it's really cool to have that cultural component show up and grab our attention." Folklorama At Home also allows opportunities to create cross-cultural connections in a more personal way. "You get to meet with the individuals who live that culture. Either they were born into the culture or they are second- or third-generation Canadians who are carrying on the traditions of their family," Cotroneo says. "It's a really neat experience to be able to have a chat with them and find out what keeps them driven." Even after the summer ends, the home-based programming will continue to be available on an ongoing basis. "We have a large group of members, not just the ones at the pavilions. There's a lot of performers who perform year-round that people might not be as familiar with," Cotroneo says. "It's only a matter of contacting us. Our agency producer would be able to customize whatever people are looking for. You just need an idea of what you're comfortable spending, whether it's a per-person price point or a total budget. Then we would be able to come up with the best plan for you." Whether you're planning a fancy bash or a simple get-together, Cotroneo promises Folklorama At Home will deliver an experience you won't forget. "If you're looking for something over the top or if you're looking for something on a smaller and more intimate scale, we will work with you," she says. "It could be a weekend at home to celebrate being able to get together with friends or it could be a large event. Really, it's anything you can dream up. We're totally looking forward to it." For more information about Folklorama At Home, contact bookings@folklorama.ca. FOLKLORAMA AT HOME New festival initiative drawing plenty of interest "THAT REALLY INSPIRED US TO PUT OUR HEADS TOGETHER AND THINK ABOUT WHAT WE COULD DO TO BRING SOMETHING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY." – TERESA COTRONEO, FOLKLORAMA EXECUTIVE DIREC TOR PHOTOS BY DARCY FINLEY Folklorama at Home (above and right) is a new program that is bringing the popular multicultural festival right to people's backyards this summer.

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