2nd Wayland Community Multicultural Festival This Weekend

WAYLAND, MA — Wayland's second Multicultural Festival will take place Sunday at the high school. The Wayland Human Rights, Equity and Inclusion Committee-sponsored event aims to highlight the range of cultures in town through performances, art and food.

Here's more from a town news release:

The Town of Wayland’s Human Rights, Equity and Inclusion Committee (HRDEIC) is excited to announce the second annual Wayland Community Multicultural festival to be held on Sunday, June 2, 2024 from 1 pm to 5 pm at the Wayland High School Field House. Building on the success of last year’s multicultural festival that attracted over 800 attendees, this year’s event will include a dynamic lineup of local and professional entertainers, delicious food offerings and activities for all ages. The Community Marketplace area has also been expanded to accommodate a variety of vendors, community groups and children’s activities.

Event co-chair and HRDEIC member Janot Mendler de Suarez stated, “I am extremely excited to see this community-wide event come together thanks to the enthusiasm of a large group of hardworking volunteers. I think we all recognize that while we can only showcase a taste of the many different cultures, ethnicities, religions, ages, genders and abilities that enrich our community, we hope that this annual event will, over time, provide opportunities for everyone to get involved.”

The year’s Multicultural Festival will incorporate a performance each hour. The featured acts will include Boston Dabke Troupe, Shirim Orchestra, and Bhumika Arts. The event will culminate with a performance from OrigiNation, a group “renowned for its fusion of cultural dance and music.”

Quoting founding artistic director, Shaumba-Yandje Dibinga: “Our performance is a celebration of diversity, unity, and the universal language of music and dance.”

Town Manager Michael McCall stated, “As an attendee of the inaugural Multicultural event, I am excited to see this year’s performances. I encourage everyone to come join us for year two of this wonderful event in which we celebrate the diversity of our community in the form of performances with roots all across the globe. It is my hope that this event continues to grow and becomes an annual event that will bring our entire community together as we celebrate cultures from all over the world.”

The Festival is sponsored by the Wayland Human Rights, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee (HRDEIC) and the Town of Wayland. Special Cosponsors include The Wayland Cultural Council, Mass Cultural Council and The Village Bank. Friend Sponsors include a host of outstanding businesses and organizations.