The aroma of homemade pierogies mingled with the spice of curry and the sweetness of Italian pastries as music from around the world filled the Easton Senior Center last month. The center transformed into a global gathering place, where residents came together to share stories, sample foods, and celebrate the many cultures that make up their community.
The Easton Senior Center’s first-ever Ethnic Fair invited attendees to travel the world without leaving town. Tables representing about a dozen countries, including Germany, Poland, Portugal, India and Italy, offered sights, sounds and tastes that reflected the diversity and heritage of Easton’s residents.
The idea for the fair began with Valerie Buckley, director of the Easton Senior Center, who recalled a similar celebration years ago at her children’s elementary school. Students and parents would bring in dishes and displays from their family’s home countries. It was a tradition that left a lasting impression on her.
“It just suddenly crossed my mind after all those years, because it was so successful,” said Buckley. “We normally would do it with students in the past, but we never thought of doing it at the senior center.”
At the fair, tables lined the room representing more than a dozen countries, including Germany, Poland, Portugal, India, Italy and more. Attendees sampled homemade food, listened to traditional music, viewed cultural displays, and shared their own cultural stories.
“There are so many of these volunteers that have actually come from not only the culture, but the country, and still go back and visit, so they brought things with them to share at the event,” said Buckley.
Among the highlights of the day was a Polish cultural presentation by Janina and Casimir Dobkowski, who wore traditional Polish folk costumes as they performed traditional dances, taught the audience how to count in Polish to help with the songs, and encouraged everyone to join in.
“People were happy to learn about Polish culture and were surprised by the information we talked about,” said Janina Dobkowski, a longtime volunteer at the center. “The whole atmosphere was really interesting, because people would come around to all the tables, try different foods, and talk to people about their cultures.”
The center hopes to make the Ethnic Fair an annual tradition, expanding its size and attendance after the success of this year’s event and the strong sense of community it inspired.
“I think it helps diversify everything that you’re learning, it’s educational and it’s interesting,” said Buckley. “I think it’s necessary to find out all about the good stuff about different countries in the world and how people manage to live their lives, sometimes in very different ways.”
