Being a tourism town that sees a plethora of visitors from around the globe, Whistler’s true diversity can sometimes be hidden just beneath the surface. Part of the intent behind the annual Whistler Multicultural Festival (WCF) is to bring that diversity out into the light for a day of celebration.
Unfortunately, a little thing called the pandemic hampered those plans over the past few years. The good news is the grassroots event is set for a long-overdue return to in-person festivities on June 23 at the Whistler Public Library.
“Over the years, we’ve enjoyed singing, dancing, food, crafts, cultural performances and information from local First Nations, immigrants and other cultural groups,” read a release last week from the Whistler Multicultural Society, organizers of the event. (Full disclosure: The author of this article has previously hosted the festival.)
Although the WCF went online in 2020, this summer will mark the first in-person event in four years, a welcome chance to celebrate the growing diversity and rich cultural fabric to be found in Whistler.
Typically featuring a wide array of performances, activities, food stations, and information kiosks, the festivities are prepared by each respective group, meaning the event can move with ease from the singing of a Czechian folk song to a traditional Lil’wat dance to a high-octane kung fu demonstration.
“This grassroots Festival is organized, and activities, performances, and food are presented by immigrants who have chosen Whistler and the Sea to Sky as their home in Canada,” the release went on. “We are also hoping to welcome members of the Lil’wat and Squamish Nations again this year, and we encourage Whistlerites to come out and celebrate their own cultural traditions and heritage.”
Whistler demographics have continued to diversify in recent years. The resort’s immigrant community—which totalled 3,320 in the 2021 census—now makes up nearly a quarter of the permanent population, at 23.7 per cent, up three percentage points from the 2016 census. That’s the highest proportion of immigrants—considered a landed immigrant or permanent resident—of any Sea to Sky community, and doesn’t capture the large number of permanent and seasonal residents here from abroad.
“Over the 10 years of the Whistler Multicultural Festival, we’ve seen the changing face and growing diversity of Whistler’s amazing cultural mosaic,” the WMS said. “With residents who have moved here from a growing number of countries, not to mention all those local families who have international and multicultural roots, this is an opportunity to build new connections and understanding across our community.”
The society is inviting any community member to contact them if they are interested in sharing an aspect of their culture and/or traditions at the festival. “Whether it’s music, dance, a cultural activity, food, or just getting involved in a local event, the Festival welcomes all participants. We are keen to hear the stories of all participants, as well as the background to and personal importance of the cultural activity or tradition they have chosen to present,” the release went on. “If people want to participate but aren’t sure how, we’ll happily help them develop an activity, display, or performance.”
Organizers discussed the importance of events like this to foster understanding and break down barriers to help make the community more inclusive.
“Experiencing the rich diversity of cultures and traditions encourages understanding and open-mindedness amongst different groups of people and dispels negative stereotypes. It has the power to strengthen social cohesion and create a sense of belonging,” they said. “Sharing culture can be a real empowerment and validation, supporting self-identity and providing an important way to contribute to the wider community. The connections made in the process can provide an invaluable support framework to help newcomers cope and adjust while the intercultural understanding created can form a pathway to welcoming new and different ways of doing—at home, at work, and in the community.”
Planning for the festival is now underway. Stay up to date at https://wms.wmsociety.ca/intercultural-learning/wmf.
The festival is set for the inside the library, on the library plaza, as well as at the nearby Whistler Museum, from 4 to 8 p.m. on June 23.
