LANCASTER –In less than two weeks, thousands of residents will come together to celebrate the diverse cultures that make up the Antelope Valley.
The city of Lancaster will host the 18th Annual Antelope Valley International Heritage Festival on Saturday, September 8, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., at Lancaster City Park.
“There will be about 20 groups performing, there’ll be different foods from different cultures donated by vendors, and the whole event is free,” said event chairperson Sylvia Duarte.
Sponsored by the Antelope Valley International Heritage Committee, the festival has been a Valley tradition since 1994, bringing together many cultural and religious organizations in an effort to foster tolerance and mutual understanding.
Every year the cities of Lancaster and Palmdale alternately host the Festival, which showcases a variety of music, food, art, dance and sports that represent the diverse people and cultures making up the Antelope Valley.
“The diversity of our residents is what gives the Antelope Valley so much to offer; enriching it and making it a great place to live,” said Lancaster Vice Mayor Ron Smith.
“The International Heritage Festival offers residents of our Antelope Valley community a way to come together to experience one another in a real way,” said Palmdale councilmember Steve Hofbauer.
The event will feature dozens of community groups representing cultures from around the world. Social, political and religious groups that provide services to Antelope Valley residents will also host informational booths to educate the community on their services.
“The International Heritage Festival is truly a day of celebration,” said Duarte. “We take great pride in our diversity while recognizing the necessity to find a common thread upon which to weave our neighborhoods, our cities, our cultures and our lives together.”
For more information about this event, contact the city of Lancaster’s Park, Recreation and Arts Department at 661-723-6077 or visit the event’s facebook page.
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QHR says
Thank you, City of Lancaster, for trying to make our community better! I will attend to support our city.