We’re All Neighbors! A Community Culture Festival

On May 20 the Brentwood, Baldwin Borough and Whitehall Public Libraries, sponsored a cultural festival celebrating the differences among the people who make up our region.  More than 600 people came together in the spirit of community with We’re All Neighbors.

The free event showcased family-friendly entertainment, music and foods native to the people of the nations and ethnic groups that make up the region. Attendees learned about culture and traditions, spoke with area service providers about their specific roles in support of our local diversity, and tasted traditional foods from different nations at a multi-cultural potluck.

Khara Timsina, a member of the local Bhutanese Community Association and Baldwin resident helped plan the event. “It was an opportunity to meet your neighbors and experience cross-cultural festivities and conversations.”

Nancy Musser, librarian at Baldwin Library, was also excited about the festival. “I love to learn about different cultures, whether through travel, reading or talking to the people right in my backyard. The more we know, the more we grow.”

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A wide variety of multicultural entertainment was offered including performances by:

  • Burke-Conroy Irish Dancers
  • Latino Productions Dance Group
  • Local Bhutanese Dancers
  • Jemiriye, Nigerian singer and performer
  • Bagpiper, Sarah Giliberto
  • and a Multicultural Fashion Show

“It was an opportunity to build bridges, dispel misinformation, and learn more about our communities,” said Paula Kelly director of Whitehall Library. Dennis Luther, director of Brentwood Library, agreed. “We want people to not only learn more about their neighbors, but also what free resources exist in their community.”

This Multicultural Community Celebration was funded through a Jefferson Regional Foundation community grant awarded to the Allegheny County Library Association.
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This Multicultural Community Celebration was funded by a Jefferson Regional Foundation community grant given to the Allegheny County Library Association.

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