When three of our closest neighbors mentioned that they were sick (one had broken her leg) and couldn’t come to the party on Saturday, October 11th, I decided to do a quick door-knocking blitz farther up and down the street. This was a challenge alongside the busyness of preparing to host the event, but I found that spreading the news of the event by word of mouth and door to door opened up fresh opportunities for conversation.
At some houses, we lingered for many minutes as we caught up on life and what was happening with our families along the street. The time spent at the doors meeting new people and catching up was valuable and helped build a sense of community. I met a couple for the first time when I knocked on their door the day of the event. They came and enjoyed the music, food, and conversations. It turns out we shared things in common, and it was great to finally meet!
At the Community Culture Party, we shared some food, stories, and cultural music. The program started off with a young Czech-Canadian violinist performing Dvořák’s Humoresque classical piece, followed by the famous Canadian fiddle piece, Maple Sugar. After this, the Comox Valley Ukrainian Choir performed three pieces, one in English and two in Ukrainian. They got the room clapping, smiling, and tapping our feet as we enjoyed the traditional rhythms and energy of their voices.
After the musical performances, we enjoyed snacks and conversations. One of the neighbors is of Polish background. She mentioned that the Ukrainian pieces reminded her of Polish wedding music. Others said the fiddle song brought them back home. Some of the snacks were heritage-inspired by different countries. The Chinese Moon cake was enjoyed by guests, and one neighbour commented that she missed celebrating the mid-autumn festival this year and was happy to enjoy a taste.
We agreed that neighbourhood gatherings, sharing our cultures, our music, food, and friendship, are an important part of a strong community. We want to do this again, perhaps in the summer next time, when there are fewer colds/flus going around and when we can pull out the BBQs. Still, the warmth of music, food, and connection lingers in the home! We thank Neighbourhood Small Grants for this special opportunity. The Community Culture Party was a delight!
