Mount Prospect Celebration of Cultures honors diversity
The second annual Mount Prospect Celebration of Cultures will take place from 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 14, at Kopp Park, located just behind RecPlex, 420 Dempster St.
Mayor Arlene Juracek and members of the village board have long recognized the diverse population that makes up the village. Celebrating the community's diversity has been identified as high priority in the village's Strategic Plan.
As a result, the Mount Prospect Celebration of Cultures event was created as commemoration to honor the many diverse populations that live side by side in the village.
The Mount Prospect Celebration of Cultures is a partnership between the village of Mount Prospect, the Mount Prospect Park District and the Mount Prospect Chamber of Commerce.
The event will feature entertainment, cultural booths, a craft fair and food from around the world. Community partners/agencies will also be present with booths and information.
The day will kick off with an opening ceremony, which will begin with a parade of cultures and culminate with a multi-stranded ribbon being tied together as a symbol of unity. There will be a daylong lineup of cultural entertainment featuring bands, singers, dancing groups and sports demos.
Celebration of Cultures entertainment schedule includes:
• 11:30 a.m.: Opening ceremony
• Noon: Thai Cultural and Fine Arts Institute Dance Company
• 12:30 p.m.: Yellin Korean Traditional Drumming & Dancing Troupe
• 12:45 p.m.: Euclid School Chorus
• 1 p.m.: Na Kapuna Ukulele Club (Hawaiian music)
• 2 p.m.: Jasmine Jahal Dance Group (Egyptian folkloric dances )
• 2:30 p.m.: Mount Prospect Park District dancers
• 3 p.m.: Chicago Cossacks (traditional Russian music)
• 4 p.m.: Anita's Bollywood Dancers (Indian dance)
• 4:30 p.m.: Chicago Korean Dance Company
• 5 p.m.: Bulgarica Dance Company (traditional Bulgarian dance)
• 5:30 p.m.: The Diana Mosquera Group (Latin jazz quartet)
Cultural booths will feature participating organizations, allowing attendees to learn about other cultures. There will be a variety of kids' crafts celebrating cultural diversity. Ten Thousand Villages will sell fair trade crafts from a variety of countries.
Local restaurants will offer tastes from around the world featuring small plates for $3. Food vendors include: Avanti Café, Canta Napoli, Capannari Ice Cream, Hacienda El Sombrero, KD Market, Mia's Cantina, Mina Restaurant Mediterranean Cuisine, Minta Restaurant and Social Lounge, Mr. Kimchi Korean BBQ, Nothing Bundt Cakes, Qulinarnia Modern Polish Cuisine and Trezeros Kitchen + Tap.
Parking in the RecPlex parking lot will be limited. Attendees are encouraged to park in the north end of the Kohl's parking lot, 1500 Elmhurst Road, at the corner of Elmhurst Road and Dempster Street.
Information about participating organizations, performers, restaurants and more is available on the village website, www.mountprospect.org/celebrationofcultures.