MOOSE JAW — It’s been five years since Moose Jaw’s Motif Multicultural Festival entertained residents with dynamic dancing and colourful costumes, but a city committee is looking for ways to revive the event.
During its recent meeting, the cultural diversity advisory committee discussed the possibility of creating a new annual multicultural event similar to Motif, although members recognized the challenge of creating and running such a large event, the meeting minutes show.
Since these challenges exist, the committee agreed that the event would need to be attached to, and spearheaded by, a specific organization with time and experience.
Some suggestions the group produced included:
- Hosting the event at an indoor location to avoid inclement weather
- Creating a one-day event on a similar scale to Motif
- Applying for grants to help with costs
- Reaching out to community cultural restaurants to see if they’d be interested in being involved
One committee member offered to contact the community connections co-ordinator with the Moose Jaw Multicultural Council to determine whether that organization had the interest or ability to help with this proposed event and invite the co-ordinator to a future meeting.
Other members also offered to help create a new multicultural event.
The last time Motif occurred was from July 12 to 14, 2019, in Happy Valley Park. Besides food, more than a dozen cultural organizations took to the stage to entertain and amaze residents of every age.
Festival organizers cancelled the event in 2020 and 2021 because of the coronavirus pandemic, while they pulled the plug in 2022 because of the pandemic and the fact Sidewalk Days had moved into Motif’s traditional weekend, according to the Motif Facebook page. Organizers cancelled the 2023 event also because of when Sidewalk Days occurred.
City council received the cultural diversity advisory committee’s meeting minutes during the June 10 regular meeting and voted to receive and file the document.
The next regular council meeting is Monday, June 24.
