Roots Aurora celebrates city's diversity this Saturday

Aurora - Dig out your berets and bowlers, ushankas and sombreros, and celebrate diversity in style this Saturday at the third annual Roots Aurora Multicultural Festival, a dancing, eating, creating and learning celebration of Aurora's diverse cultures, past and present, benefiting Family Focus Aurora, World Relief and the Aurora Historical Society.

This year's Roots Aurora takes on the flavors of a street festival with live music, dance, food and craft from around the world in a new, interactive setting on historic LaSalle Street.

Featured performers will demonstrate dances from around the world and include McNulty's Irish Dancers, Culture of Africa for Kids Everywhere (CAKE) Dancers, Ballet Folklorico, Simply Destinee and dance troupes from Aurora's Bhutanese and Indian communities.

Between performances, check out live art demonstrations, let the kids explore other cultures with activities geared just for them, learn about services available from organizations around Aurora, and grab a bite to eat from food vendors selling flavors from around the world - from Indian samosas, Bolivian empanadas, and fresh baked Italian desserts all await the adventurous palate in search of a little spice. Plus, join in on the fun and don the cultural costume of you or your ancestors.

"Roots Aurora: A Celebration of Our Cultures" is sponsored by Waubonsee Community College, the City of Aurora Indian American Community Outreach Advisory Board, the Hispanic Heritage Advisory Board, the Aurora African American Heritage Advisory Board, Dolan & Murphy, Nicor Gas, Caterpillar, Culture of Africa for Kids Everywhere, West Aurora School District 129, Rush Copley and BMO Harris Bank

Roots Aurora will be 4 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 26, on LaSalle Street, from Benton Street to Downer Place in downtown Aurora.

Admission is free, but donations are welcome. Proceeds from the event benefit Family Focus Aurora, the social service agency that ensures low-income families in Aurora give their children the best possible start in life with customized classes, support groups and referrals in a welcoming and caring environment, as well as World Relief DuPage/Aurora and the Aurora Historical Society.

For more information, "like" "Roots Aurora: A Celebration of Our Cultures," or find our event page, Roots Aurora 2015 on Facebook.

For more information on Family Focus Aurora and available family support services, including teen parenting education, after-school programming, immigration assistance and programming to help build healthy families, go to www.family-focus.org.