Holidays from different cultures around the globe are set to be celebrated in Lethbridge.
On Saturday, December 13, the Southern Alberta Ethnic Association hosts its ‘Holiday Traditions Around the World’ event. It takes place at the Multicultural Centre.
“What we try to do is really focus on not necessarily only Christmas, but holidays that some of our cultural member groups celebrate,” says Fund and Program Developer Jackie Stambene, noting the holidays could be ones that are celebrated any time of the year.
Stambene adds that in many cultures, food plays a big part in celebrations.
“Many celebrations around the globe are done through food, through dance, through music, through gathering, so we want to duplicate that as much as possible. So, we have a variety of food vendors,” she explains.
The upcoming event will feature food vendors from various places, including Nigeria, Kenya, the Philippines, and China.
Stambene adds some of the member groups will have displays set up, showcasing traditional items connected to their holidays. The event will also feature dances, a magic show, and Christmas movies.
“We want everyone to come and enjoy and learn about other cultures, and that’s why we’re trying to uplift them,” she states.
At last year’s event, Stambene says about 300 people attended. For the 2025 program, she hopes they can welcome between 300 and 500 guests.
Entry is ‘pay-as-you-can’, but Stambene says attendees can come in for free. The only cost for guests will be food and drink purchases, which support local food vendors.
She adds they will have a ‘holiday sip station’, with treats like hot chocolate and eggnog.
Stambene thanks all the volunteers who make the event a success each year, and hopes attendees learn something and make new connections by attending.
“Our mandate is diversity, inclusion and equity, so we really try to celebrate and showcase different cultures, so that people are learning about it, because we can’t build tolerance if we don’t understand each other, so it’s really important to be able to do that and to show people what other cultures do, and it shows not only their differences, but it also shows their similarities, so it’s a nice evening,” she says.
The Southern Alberta Ethnic Association’s ‘Holiday Traditions Around the World’ event is on Saturday, December 13 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Multicultural Centre in Lethbridge.
READ MORE: Southern Alberta Ethnic Association offering 27th annual free holiday dinner
