Utica is the melting pot of Upstate New York. We are celebrating all cultures on Saturday September 16th with the Utica International Festival.

From what I have been told by my native “Utican” friends, the different ethnic backgrounds migrated to different areas of the city and pretty much stuck together. Italians lived in East Utica and married Italians, Polish lived in West Utica and married people of Polish descent and so on.

Over the past few decades, Utica has enjoyed an influx of many ethnic cultures. We have immigrants from Bosnia, Vietnam, Russia, Burma, Bhutan, and many other parts of the world. Diversity is a beautiful thing in our city. These immigrants have helped to make our community robust by opening up a new business, from furniture stores, cafes, restaurants, mechanics, bakeries and so much more. We also have the pleasure of being introduced to new foods, cultural celebrations, and traditions unique to their countries.

So it only makes sense for Utica to host Utica’s International Day on September 16th from Noon ill 10pm. The celebration takes place at Hanna Park, 1 Kennedy Plaza. Enjoy food, live music, cultural dance performances and more. It is a great way to introduce yourself and family to culture all in one day at one location.


 

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