By Jillian Chandler August 17 marks the 30th annual Unity in the Community celebration here in Spokane, a family fun event that provides opportunities for all ages to connect and learn.
From 10am to 3pm, the day will be filled with activities, entertainment and food, with more than 100 vendors sharing resources in Unity in the Community’s General, Career/Education, Health, and Youth Areas. They will be giving away resource bags for adults 50 and older in their Senior Resource Area, and in the Youth Area, kids will be fitted with new bicycle helmets in addition to face painting, henna tattoos, caricature artist, a photo booth, and much more. The main stage will have culturally diverse entertainment, and, of course, there will be the Food Court with a diverse selection of cuisines to savor. “There will also be some extra special surprises throughout the day from what we normally do each year,” adds April Anderson, co-executive director for NW Unity.
The highlight of the event is the Cultural Village. As April shares, “The Cultural Village is the heart of what we do, bringing different cultures together and learning from one another.” Kids will get a passport and take a trip around the world, getting a stamp for each culture they visit. They will then take their passport to the school supply area and get a bag of school supplies. This year due to a grant, they will also have diverse school-aged books in the bag of supplies.
Last year, close to 10,000 people attended the cultural celebration, which will once again be held at Riverfront Park at the Clocktower and Howard Street Bridge (507 North Howard Street), and April hopes to have even more in attendance since this year marks Unity in the Community’s 30th year, adding, “We have really pulled out all the stops for our 30th celebration.”
When it comes to what makes this such a wonderful event each and every year, it is having members of the community sharing in the passion and love for Unity in the Community by volunteering, sponsorship, and participating in the event. “Seeing everyone come together learning something new, connecting with one another and sharing resources is truly special,” April notes. “We are the region’s largest multi-cultural event. There is not an event quite like us where we celebrate the diversity within our community.”
Mark your calendars for August 17 and help celebrate 30 years of Unity in the Community. Additional details, as well as sponsorship and volunteer opportunities, or to register your booth, can be found online at NWUnity.org.
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