Chrysalis is set to celebrate Alberta Culture Days this weekend in the most appropriate way that it knows how: by celebrating its own international diversity with a cultural block party.
Chrysalis is set to celebrate Alberta Culture Days this weekend in the most appropriate way that it knows how: by celebrating its own international diversity with a cultural block party.
According to Matt Mandrusiak, the society's corporate communications manager, it's going to be a spectacular party indeed.
“It should be pretty cool for everybody who shows up,” he stated. “I'm really looking forward to that coffee ceremony.”
An Eritrean Coffee Ceremony will be held to kick off the day's festivities, followed by several workshops including drumming circles, belly dancing, music and movement and an improvisation session. The centre will also host one of its clients, Erica Richards, who will perform a live comedy routine. There will also be live music from the Red Hot and Cool Jazz Quartet.
Chrysalis is the Alberta society for citizens with disabilities. It offers assistance with life skills and employment training to dozens upon dozens of local residents from across the metropolitan Edmonton area, including St. Albert.
“There's going to be a lot of unique programs. A lot of the things we do on this day are things that we do within our programming. A lot of those things have become very, very popular amongst our clients,” he continued. “We wanted to tie in some of the stuff that we do on a daily basis with the community as a whole so it should be really, really unique for a lot of people who come and see just exactly how much fun our guys are having here throughout the week.”
This event evolved out of the Government of Alberta's continuing annual extravaganza that started as Alberta Arts Days. As that was developed into becoming Alberta Culture Days, Chrysalis figured it presented a huge opportunity to show off its own multiculturalism.
“We figured it was a perfect tie-in for us, for the staff population – along with the individuals we serve – are so diverse. We've got almost 30 countries represented here just through our staff alone. It really just shows how Chrysalis is very much like Edmonton, very much like Alberta and Canada.”
The event is free and open to the public. It runs on Saturday, Sept. 27 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Chrysalis is located at 13325 St. Albert Trail in Edmonton. For more information, call 780-454-9656 or visit www.chrysalis.ca.
