CITY PREPARES FOR ETHNIC FESTIVAL AT LIBRARY PARK
Informational Meeting Scheduled for April 1st
WATERBURY, CT – Waterbury Mayor Neil M. O’Leary is inviting ethnic groups, community organizations and restaurateurs interested in participating in The Gathering, a free ethnic festival in downtown Waterbury on May 18th, to attend an informational meeting on Monday, April 1st, at 5:30 p.m., at Waterbury City Hall, Veteran’s Memorial Hall, 2nd floor, 235 Grand Street.
“The City of Waterbury is collaborating with several small businesses, non-profits and community groups to stage the festival, which is intended to celebrate and showcase Waterbury’s rich, cultural heritage, pride, and extraordinary diversity,” Mayor O’Leary said. “We’re hoping this turns into an annual celebration that will restore the vitality and excitement that downtown Waterbury deserves.”
To date, the organizational committee has successfully recruited representation from Italy, Ireland, Lithuania, Puerto Rico, Albania, Argentina, Bangladesh, Nepal, Colombia, Jamaica, Greece, Cape Verde, Portugal, Peru, and a dozen more. An intense recruitment effort to identify new ethnic groups, and recruit volunteers, is ongoing. If your group has not been contacted, you’re encouraged to attend the meeting on Monday afternoon. Festival participation is free. Thousands are expected to converge at Library Park on May 18th.
The Gathering will include a large parade through downtown Waterbury that begins on East Main Street, circles the Green, cruises up Bank Street, down Grand Street, and ends at Library Park, for an all-day celebration of music, food, and dance from around the world.
If you are interested in finding out how to participate, please attend the April 1st meeting, e-mail: thegathering@waterburyct.org, or call the Mayor’s Office at 203-574-6712.
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