The idea of culture and festival often go hand in hand. Festival in a sense is a way for a particular group to establish public awareness of, and a way to maintain a social, religious, or ethnic groups individuality. Festivals can range from promoting the arts and music to culture and religion, in any circumstance, however, the festival essentially works as a way of bringing communities of people together. Whether this means people from within the specific community or outsiders hoping to grasp some introspect on the way a certain social group lives, acts, and creates the purpose of the festival is to essentially bring those with common interests and viewpoints together in an opportunity to exchange ideas and build relationships. As there was such a great emphasis this past week on the history and role of Diasporas within the international communications framework it is only appropriate that an investigation into the role of festival in maintaining the connectedness of both Diasporic and other communities be analyzed.
Being raised in Kitchener Waterloo I from an early age became accustom to the happenings surrounding thanksgiving weekend every October. Specifically, the Oktoberfest festival is to what I refer. Being a largely German diasporic community Kitchener celebrates its prominent German heritage over a two week period of music, dance, costume, food, and most notably beer. The festival includes a parade, several concerts and huge venues dedicated solely to the traditional German style cuisine and beer drinking. It essentially provides a space wherein people of the German heritage in particular can gather in celebration of their German culture, although the festival is by no means restricted to those of German heritage. Rather, the festival works as a way of bringing people together in high spirits for the sake of community.
In running with this notion of bringing people together I want to mention a festival particularly close to my heart. As a volunteer at the Hillside festival in Guelph over the last three years I have grown to love and deeply respect that which the organizers so graciously achieve year after year. Held at Guelph Lake conservation area on an island connected to the mainland by a narrow causeway, the festival is renowned for its artistic lineup of musicians, a flavourful blend of up-and-coming Canadian performers, world artists, and local talent. The program is always richly diverse and highly entertaining. While music is the focus, the Hillside experience also includes: spoken word, aboriginal circles, an international food pavilion, healing arts workshops, childrens activities and events, drum circles, and environmental expos just to name a few. The eclectic experiences met and the bonds formed during this three day festival can only truly be understood by those who have experienced it firsthand. As a hint of what the festival means to me however I can easily say that Hillside leaves festivalgoers with a feeling that they have been part of something magical. There is certainly something to be said of the liberal, open minded, and socially aware mindset that seems to be present in virtually everyone you meet at the festival. Although the music can be seen as the primary draw I propose that it is the feeling of what Victor Turner would describe as communitas that really keeps people coming back. That is the intense community spirit, the feeling of great social equality , solidarity, and togetherness.
If a festival such as Hillside having no specific religious or ethnic ties has the power to create such a welcoming and stimulating environment for people from all races, religions, and social classes then there in no doubt left in my mind that culture specific festivals have an even more profound effect. The case of the Yiddish music festival as it was cited in class could be a prime example of a festival having an even more intense effect leaving the festivalgoer with the sense of community and belonging that may not be present in their everyday lives. In any case the idea of festival provides one with opportunities that may otherwise not be met, and it is this potential of communitas that draws people to and thus enhances the festival and cultural experience.
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