By Joyce Anderson
What a great day! Over a period of 5 hours, about 2,300 people stopped by the 2025 Chippewa Valley Multicultural Festival. Our neighbors were invited to browse, taste, listen, watch, dance, and experience a variety of cultures within our valley.
It was a great opportunity to set aside time in our beautiful Phoenix Park Pavilion area to simply enjoy the setting, the myriad cultures of the Chippewa Valley and to become acquainted with one another. Music, cultural dances from India, Ireland, Guatemala, Ukraine, Laos, Thailand, and Mexico were spectacular.
There were craft items for sale, food, a “live painting exhibition”, and opportunities to explore hands-on activities. Some made “welcome “quilt squares, played Kubb on the grassy lawn, learned Hmong stitching, learned to play Loteria or pronounce a word in a different language, or smacked the piñata. We all took pride in our neighbors, as was pointed out by the Leader Telegram:
“The event was far more than just groups setting up tables and displays about their heritages. Sure, those are an important component, but we think there’s something else that’s at least as critical. Events like these bring smaller communities within Eau Claire together. The pride in the performers is evident when you watch, as is the respect from onlookers.”
We are grateful to the organizing committee made up of community members, JONAH, Eau Claire Area Hmong Mutual Assistance Association, Welcoming New Neighbors and World Relief. (See photo) The event is free because of the generosity of local grants from Visit Eau Claire, Eau Claire Foundation, North Barstow Business District, and the Wisconsin Arts Council. This year, vendors chipped in to help support the festival as well as Immanuel Lutheran and Minute Man Press, and many others providing “in kind” gifts of time and treasure. Chippewa Valley, we are grateful!
For many, this is an anxious and challenging time. On August 17, we were able to set all of that aside for a few short hours and just enjoy our park, our diverse cultures, food, music, and one another. Everyone was happy and excited to explore and meet one another. There was hope and solidarity. As fictional Coach Eric Taylor from the Friday Night Lights television series might say, ”Together with clear eyes and full hearts, we can’t lose.”