HAVERHILL — Sizzling Korean fried chicken, sweet Moroccan pastries, or smoked Southern-style barbecue?
On Saturday, there were no bounds or borders when it came to cultural cuisine – flavors from around the world together like a smorgasbord at G.A.R Park.
The Haverhill Cultural Council hosted its third consecutive Multicultural Festival, a vibrant showcase of the region’s growing diversity, on the park grounds this past weekend.
Its return drew a crowd of locals who were eager to celebrate family traditions through music, dance, food, and art.
Running from noon to 6 p.m., the free event brought together artists, artisans, vendors, and performers from across the Merrimack Valley. The mission: to share their roots, celebrate differences, and explore the richness of each other’s heritage – all in unison.
Mayor Melinda Barrett opened the day with welcoming remarks, standing before a world map of flags and booths representing their roots in Africa, South America, Asia and beyond.
Every table or tent told a different story, stocked with sweet treats and traditional attire to tell it.
Maria Elena Arata, Haverhill Cultural Council co-chair, said there were nine food vendors, offering visitors a passport across the globe’s culinary scenes in seconds.
Meanwhile, live performances kicked off at the park’s rock structure, which served as a natural stage for the stars. The show opened with Sultana, a local duo made up of Jon and Li Waterman. Mixing blues, indie, and progressive rock, they shared original songs blending history and music.
Later, a woman from Eastern India captured the audience with her traditional dances before switching up the tempo as she read personal poetry. An Irish dance duo followed with a flurry of footwork, then Samba dancers, a Bachata pair, and many others.
MAMADOU, led by Senegalese musician Mamadou Diop, took the stage later in the evening. The group is known for its fusion of traditional West African rhythms with tinges of salsa, merengue and reggae.
The children’s corner kept the kids occupied, especially after a local farm arrived with a pack of alpacas for the boys and girls to pet.
Arata said that there were 33 exhibitors lining the walkways, offering everything from handcrafted jewelry, cultural clothes, and decorative household items.
“Everybody wants to make this the friendliest and most accepting environment possible,” Arata said. “We want Haverhill to be not just a city of neighborhoods, but of neighbors.”
Organizing the community event is a team effort, and the council has Team Haverhill to thank for cleaning up the park grounds the Thursday before the festival.
Inclusivity remains central to the Cultural Council’s mission, said Arata, who emphasized their effort to reach beyond city lines and bring in participants from neighboring towns and states. Co-chair McKenna Jennings echoed that sentiment.
“The intention is to celebrate the diversity of our community through music, dance, sound, taste, and artisanal crafts,” Jennings said.
“We do this by inviting performers and artisans from across the Merrimack Valley, Boston, and Southern New Hampshire to join us in sharing their culture. We hope festival attendees come with an open mind and leave having learned something new.”