FOLK ARTS FESTIVAL OFF TO COLOURFUL START
By Matthew Van Dongen
St. Catharines Standard, Canada
The Standard
May 14 2007
Simone VanDerkel grinned at the question.
It wasn’t the first time she’s heard it, as the ambassador for Club
the Netherlands at the 2007 Niagara Folk Arts Festival.
It probably won’t be the last.
"Everybody asks if they’re comfortable," said the 20-year-old, gazing
down at her bright yellow wooden clogs.
"Actually, they’re not, really. The ridges don’t really fit the form
of my feet. But if they stay on, that’s a good thing."
VanDerkel had no clog malfunctions on the march to St. Catharines
city hall Saturday, where ambassadors from more than 20 ethnic clubs
kicked off two weeks of multicultural events.
The march was literally a whirlwind of colour, as the weather ensured
flags and traditional costumes alike flapped madly in the wind.
Tamara Kalagian, 16, looked poised to take flight as the long veil of
her taraz, a traditional Armenian dress, billowed excitedly behind her.
The delicate white costume was a bit chilly in the breeze, but this
year’s Miss Armenia didn’t mind.
She looks forward to the rare chance to dress up, Armenian style.
"It doesn’t happen all that often," she said, smilingly happily. "But
it’s always a lot of fun."
In the next two weeks, Kalagian will get plenty of opportunities to
dress up.
In addition to her ambassadorial dress, the 16-year-old will don
another colourful costume for traditional dancing at the Armenian
Community Centre open house next Sunday.
VanDerkel is looking forward to some dancing – possibly in different
footwear – at the Club the Netherlands open house May 21.
Her grin grows at the next question: is she looking forward to
croquettes, sausages and ollie bollen that go along with a big Dutch
get-together?
"Oh, the food is great. You’ll love it," she promised, nodding her
traditional white bonnet up and down.
St. Catharines residents will have plenty of opportunities to test
that promise.
More than 20 mouthwatering openhouses are scheduled between until
May 25 – and that doesn’t include the weekend culinary extravaganza
in Montebello Park May 26-27.
At the official festival opening Saturday, politicians of all stripes
spoke about the opportunity to share in Canada’s rich diversity and
promote cultural understanding.
But St. Catharines MPP Jim Bradley noted another predictable result
of the 39-year-old multicultural heritage festival.
"I hear there’s a scale inside city hall where you can weigh yourself
before the festival, and then again after the festival," he said to
laughter from the crowd of more than 100 people.
Events for this week include:
~U Canadian Slovak Club open house today, 4-9 p.m. at Holy Rosary
Church Hall, 35 Queens, Thorold.
~U Club Heidelberg open house Tuesday, 5-10 p.m. at 569 Lake St.
~U Club Sardegna Nel Niagara open house Wednesday, 5-9 p.m. at 17
Gale Crs.
~U Citizenship ceremony Thursday, 6 p.m. at Robertson Hall, 85
Church St.
~U Greek Community of Niagara open house Friday, 4:30 p.m.-1 a.m. at
CAW Hall, 14 Bunting Rd.
~U St. John Ukrainian Catholic Church open house Friday, 5-10 p.m. at
St. John Activity Centre, 91 Lakeshore Rd.
~U Greek Community of Niagara open house Saturday, noon to 1 a.m. at
CAW Hall, 124 Bunting Rd.
~U Latin American Club open house Saturday, noon to 4 p.m. at Ukrainian
Black Sea Hall, 455 Welland Ave.