Thousands Celebrate Cultural Diversity at Unity Fest
October 13 , 2008

Glendale, CA - On October 12, 2008, the City of Glendale held its 7th annual Unity Fest, which showcased 20 performances from 16 different cultures.  The all day event brought thousands of people to Brand Boulevard, an even bigger turnout than last year. Glendale’s residents got a better glimpse at their neighbors’ culture through food, music, dances, and authentic arts and crafts.  In addition, the event provided a virtual portal not only of traditions of the Glendale residents, but of the many parts of the world which they come from.

“ANC Glendale was happy to see such a tremendous turnout at Unity Fest this year.  This annual event truly gives the community opportunity to appreciate the multi-cultural city we live in,” stated Elen Asatryan, Executive Director of ANCG, who also served on the Unity Fest planning committee.  “We look forward to working with the City of Glendale  again next year to promote and plan such a wonderful event,” added Asatryan.

 Festival goers experienced a wide range of cultural performances from ethnic dance troupes, including the Latin-inspired Folklorico Dance Group, the Kultura Philippine Folk Arts, Japanese Taiko drummers and traditional Chinese dragon dancers. Burbank-based Media City Ballet also put on a performance from the “Nutcracker.” Musicians played cultural tunes from Armenia, Greece and other countries and shared spaces with dozens of vendors offering just as many varieties of food.  While the Montrose Shopping Park’s Harvest farmers market moved from its usual location on Honolulu Avenue to join the festivities on Brand Boulevard.  Unity Fest is a city tradition which takes place annually in the city of Glendale.

“The city encourages organizations like ANC to participate in the cultural diversity celebration as they represent a large Armenian population in Glendale.” stated Zizette Ayad, Community Relations Coordinator for the City of Glendale.