Fiesta Week kicks off Oshawa’s cultural celebration Father’s Day
Published June 16, 2023 at 9:00 am
The week-long extravaganza of cultural traditions, music, food, and entertainment that is Fiesta Week in Oshawa kicks off Father’s Day Sunday with a street party and concert at Memorial Park.
Fiesta Week is an annual family-friendly event that celebrates the diverse cultures and vibrant community of the city and brings together residents and visitors alike to experience a fusion of cultures and to showcase the multicultural fabric of the city, featuring performances by local artists, dance troupes, and musicians representing various cultural backgrounds. The streets come alive with colorful parades, where participants don traditional attire and showcase their heritage through lively performances.
The festival also offers a tantalizing array of culinary delights, with food vendors serving up delicious dishes from different cultures.
Dancers with the Northern Portugal pavilion in 2019
Fiesta Week in Oshawa is not only a celebration of diversity but also a platform for fostering understanding, unity, and appreciation among the community members by creating an atmosphere of inclusivity and pride, where everyone can come together to enjoy the festivities and embrace the multicultural essence of Oshawa.
From pierogis (or pyrohy) and schnitzel to tourtiere, roti, codfish cakes and cabbage rolls (and don’t forget tiramisu), Fiesta Week is a feast for your senses and your appetite.
This year’s celebration will have 11 pavilions and instead of the traditional parade the City is closing down the street around Memorial Park for a ‘Fiesta Street Party.’ There will be a variety of vendors, food trucks, buskers, and more.
As befitting the history of Oshawa, there are two pavilions each representing Ukraine (Lviv – 38 Lviv Boulevard; and Odesa – 31 Bloor St. E), Poland (Krakow – 1551 Stevenson Rd. N; and Poznan – 219 Olive Avenue), and Portugal (Oshawa Portuguese – 520 Simcoe St. S; and Northern Portugal – 40 Albany Street), as well as pavilions representing Italy (245 Simcoe St. S). Germany (Club Loreley – 389 Dean Avenue), the West Indies (Club Carib – 600 Wentworth St. E) French Canada (384 Hillside Drive) and Romania (261 Bloor St. E).
Not all the pavilions are open every day so check the Fiesta Week website (click on https://fiestaweek.com/pavilions-at-a-glance/) or the map below for dates and times.
The event is put on by the Oshawa Folk Arts Council, a non-profit organization that has helped sustain and celebrate the cultural multicultural communities of Oshawa for nearly half a century, with the first festival held in 1974.
Fiesta Week is presented, organized and run by volunteers from across the board, from Oshawa Folk Arts Council executives to the cooks in the kitchen, all the way to the four year-old dancing on the stage.
All proceeds from Fiesta Week directly support the non-profit cultural organizations.
A Fiesta Week Passport is $10 for adults and $5 for students and senior. Kids 13 and under are free.
