Humboldt's Culture Days celebration just gets bigger and bigger each year, and this past weekend was no exception.
"We had about 140 people turn out on Friday night, and well over 200 all day Saturday," said Jennifer Hoesgen, director of the Humboldt & District Museum & Gallery, who collaborated with the Humboldt Regional Newcomer Centre to put on the festival.
"The turn out was just amazing. It completely exceeded our expectations," said Janine Hart of the newcomer centre.
With a variety of different performances, decadent food and cultural activities to take part in, the event succeeded in achieving its mantra that "everyone join in" on the festivities.
"We wanted audience participation and we got it," said Hoesgen.
There were crowds of people from all age groups, including the performers who wowed the crowd.
"Where has all this talent been hiding?" remarked Humboldt resident Clarke Curtis at the event.
"That's the thing. We want to have more opportunities like Culture Days to showcase the diverse local talent in our city," Hart explained.
Hoesgen noted that when organizing the event, she was so caught up in the logistics of it, that she didn't fully understand its impact until an older citizen of Humboldt made a poetic remark.
"You know Jennifer, this event isn't just important for the younger group. It's important for my age group. We're realizing that this is the new Humboldt," Hoesgen recalled the woman saying.
There were many entertaining moments at Culture Days and some that gave goosebumps, like when Annelies Huiting-Küpers, local resident and native of the Netherlands, was encouraged by the crowd to sing a song.
Her choice?
O Canada.
