Welcoming Week is September 13-22 and is presented annually by the Concord Multicultural Festival. Local businesses and organizations are invited to join the celebration! We encourage your team to take a photo with our “I’m a Welcomer” signs and submit the image to our online album at concordnhchamber.com/welcoming-week. We will incorporate submitted images in our prominent window display on Main Street. We’re proud to support this initiative that brings together neighbors of all backgrounds to build strong connections and affirm the importance of welcoming and inclusive places.
Welcoming Week culminates with the Concord Multicultural Festival on Sunday, September 22 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. We interviewed Sindy Chown, owner of Barranquilla Flavor and Performance Director of the Concord Multicultural Festival, to shine a spotlight on the performers at this year’s event.
Tell us a little bit about Concord Multicultural Festival for someone who has never attended. This Multicultural Festival is about union, cultural representation, and cultural education. If you want to hear different rhythms, you are going to have everything from high energy to mellow sounds, to classic singers.
Can you share some of the unique performances that attendees can expect at this year’s festival? This year’s theme highlights Asian culture, and specifically Nepal. There will be an opening performance from Barranquilla Flavor dancers, then performances by many Nepalese and South Asian artists including local dancers Anya and Varnika, musicians from Himalayan Heritage Performing Arts Group, and several dance groups, including traditional Indian dancing by Chidambaram Nritya Kala Academy and a traditional Indonesian dance by Boston Cendrawasih. Then we’ll move into other performances like salsa, African drumming, Israeli Dancing presented by Temple Beth Jacob, and more. You will see returning popular artists like Martin Toe, Senie Hunt, In the Field Irish dancing, and more.
Why is it important to showcase diverse performers in Concord? I think it’s important to support every year our Multicultural Festival because it’s representing the Concord community, and embracing the many cultures. Get ready to travel around the world through dance, music and rhythms.
Can you share a little bit about yourself, and your connection to this work? Barranquilla Flavor offers performances and lessons for international dance. I am supporting the festival with my skills. Through the Chamber I had the opportunity to be recognized as a great member of the community not only for the Multicultural Festival but for the kiddos who live in the cities of Concord and Manchester.
Learn more about the Concord Multicultural Festival and see a lineup of performances at concordnhmulticulturalfestival.org. And when you attend the event, make sure you stop by our Chamber booth!