Roots Aurora fest celebrates city's diversity

Dig out your berets and bowlers, ushankas and sombreros, and celebrate diversity Saturday, Sept. 26, at the third annual Roots Aurora multicultural festival.

It's 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 crafts from around the world in a new, interactive setting on LaSalle Street. The festival is from 4 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 26, on LaSalle, between Benton Street and Downer Place.

Featured performers demonstrating dances from around the world 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, fest-goers can 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. Indian samosas, Bolivian empanadas and fresh-baked Italian desserts await the adventurous palate.

Those who attend are encouraged to don a cultural costume representing their heritage.

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 Unit District 129, Rush Copley and BMO Harris Bank.

Admission is free, but donations are welcome. Proceeds benefit World Relief DuPage/Aurora, the Aurora Historical Society and Family Focus Aurora, a social service agency that works to help 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.

For event information, visit rootsaurora.org.

For 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, visit family-focus.org.