As part of the first annual Elgin International Festival, (Elgin iFest), event organizers invite cultural organizations to register to participate in a parade scheduled for 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, September 1, that will kick off the day’s events. Community organizations that reflect and represent the cultural and ethnic composition of our community are encouraged to submit entries that provide music, displays, dance and/or costumes that best reflect their culture.
The parade will take place in downtown Elgin, ending at Festival Park where the Elgin International Event will take place for the remainder of the day, ending at 11:00 p.m. Human Relations Commission member Aloune Khotisene is chairing the parade committee. “The parade is an important way for us to showcase all the nationalities and cultures in Elgin. We hope to have countries from every continent represented.”
A Parade Packet which includes a welcome letter, application, rules and agreement is available for download at elginifest.com. The application should be submitted no later than August 17, 2012. Specific questions may be emailed to parade@elginifest.com or can be directed to Danise Habun, Chairperson of the Elgin International Festival at (847) 754-8064.
The 2012 Elgin International Festival (a.k.a. iFest) is a collaborative effort between the City of Elgin, local businesses, community organizations and volunteers. The organizing effort is being led by the Elgin Human Relations Commission whose powers and duties include offering community education programs and public events that foster harmony among the many diverse groups that make up Elgin. The festival’s mission is to showcase the cultural contributions and quality of life, family, and work demonstrated by the diverse community groups within the greater Elgin Illinois area. For more information about the festival, go to www.elginifest.com or call (847) 224-FEST (3378). info@elginifest.com.