Music, dancing, and delicious food filled the streets in Timmins this year during a series of cultural events that showcased the city’s diverse community spirit.
This year's events included the Khalsa Day Parade, Indigenous Peoples Day, the Philipino Fiesta and Festa Italiano, uniting Timmins residents in pride and celebration.
On June 15, the local Sikh community hosted the annual Khalsa Day Parade, which featured a small street festival on Cedar Street South.
The celebrations extended into the evening with a concert at Hollinger Park, headlined by Punjabi music stars Jazzy B and Miss Pooja.
Khalsa Day is a celebration of the establishment of the Sikh community in 1699. It gives Sikhs a chance to share their culture, said Kanwaljit Bains.
"We celebrate the birth of Khalsa, and it's also to make awareness of our culture and the Sikh way of life," Bains said. "And also to be a part of the community here in Timmins."
Just days later, Hollinger Park transformed into a hub of activity on June 21 for National Indigenous Peoples Day.
The event brought together vendors, musicians, families, and friends to honour First Nations, Métis, and Inuit cultures through food, crafts, and dance.
The celebrations also included the first-ever Indigenous Hip-Hop Festival, which featured artists from across Turtle Island. Organizer Naomi Fletcher said the festival was a long time coming.
"I knew that I wanted to put on a hip-hop festival with Indigenous representation," she said.
"The reason I want to do this is to have this Indigenous representation on the stage and inspire these youth to use their voices and have a healthier way of expressing themselves."
On July 17, the aroma of Italian delicacies filled Cedar Street South as the Porcupine Dante Club hosted its annual Festa Italiana.
The festival drew record-breaking crowds eager to sample authentic Italian cuisine, including lamb skewers, sausages, and meatballs.
"We opened at 11 a.m., and people started lining up at 10 a.m. just knowing they were getting authentic Italian baking," said Dante Club secretary Alana Loreto. "The lineup was out the door."
The festivities included live music, a car show, and a lively atmosphere that kept attendees coming back throughout the week.
This year’s Fiesta avoided the rain that had disrupted past events, allowing the community to gather under sunny skies.
The event featured lively performances, music, and traditional dishes such as pork skewers, egg rolls, and noodles, served by enthusiastic volunteers.
Not to be outdone, the local Filipino community came out in droves for this year's Filipino Fiesta on Cedar Street South in front of Lady Luck Restaurant.
Dancing and music filled the street as local community members showed off their skills.
The performances were accompanied by a free lunch, including chicken wings, spring rolls, and noodles. This year's event was spared the rainy weather that had driven the festival inside in previous years.
Organizer Estela Chow said it's essential to put on these kinds of cultural celebrations like in Timmins every year.
"We need to not forget the culture that we came from," she said.
"We are from the Philippines, but we need to bring the culture to where we are."
