The City of Surrey’s Fusion Festival has won a prestigious award for the best cultural event last year.
The city was given the Star Award last month at the 2011 Canadian Event Industry Awards Gala event in Toronto.
Surrey Fusion Festival is presented by Coast Capital Savings and is B.C.’s largest multicultural celebration. Last year’s event was held at Surrey’s Holland Park July 17-18, featuring more than 75 distinguished artists and headliners from around the world who performed on four stages. The event included 30 cultural pavilions representing food and culture from different countries of origin.
Nearly 90,000 people took part in celebrating the city’s rich diversity with music, food and culture.
News of the award delighted both staff and city council alike.
“I was thrilled, but not surprised,” said Coun. Barinder Rasode. “While we’re seeing heritage from different countries, I think what really brings us together is what makes us alike, and that’s really prevalent when you’re at Fusion (Festival).”
One of the big changes last year was the Canada pavillion which brought forward this country’s heritage.
This year’s event will include a Surrey pavillion and a Flavours of Surrey component, where foods will be made from locally grown produce.
The CEIA is a national award program that recognizes outstanding achievements in Canadian special events, meeting management, conference planning and exhibition management. The program is open to any Canadian company that has produced an event or qualifying element of an event during the 2010 calendar year.