Elgin International Festival unfettered by weather
Gloomy skies plagued Elgin's International Festival on Saturday, but two hours of rain couldn't put a damper on the multicultural harmony in the city's downtown.
A plethora of music and dancing contributed to a light mood despite the dark skies. Multiple performance stages allowed spectators to traverse from one to the other without missing much, and there was plenty to see.
Philippine folk dancing featured a performance with children in traditional dress skipping over and around long wooden poles banging in an upbeat rhythm that evoked images of double dutch jump-roping contests at recess. In an Indian dance performance, a brightly clothed girl went through a series of steps symbolizing the discovery of the love of her life. The joy of this discovery, as told by the narrator, put a positive spin on all things.
Bringing the beat and the motions a bit closer to home, the Divine Movement dancers from the Second Baptist Church of Elgin performed several routines that varied from high-speed motion timed to Spanish dance music to a slower-paced number with a gospel music backdrop.
The iFest wasn't all music and dance. Food is a huge part of all cultures, and a wide range of ethnic eating options were on hand to provide a global sampling. In the dining area, everything from tacos to Blarney Burgers and Puerto Rican jibarito to po'boys competed for space on the covered picnic tables.
If breaking bread and sharing a meal wasn't enough to seal a sense of cultural harmony, the nearby "City of Peace" section brought the message home with various readings, in various languages, about peacemakers and ways to find peace in your own life.
Representatives from the Gail Borden Public Library held up pictures from various books showing smiling faces, picturesque scenery and numerous traditional, cultural celebrations to show similarities among people of all races, cultures and religions.
"Joining together. Making friends," said one of the speakers while showing photos from around the world. "From shore to shore, land to land. Spread a little peace. And then we'll have peace around the world."