Multicultural Fair

press release: The city of Sun Prairie is planning to hold its annual Multicultural Fair in-person on Saturday, September 18 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Sheehan Park. The fair honors and celebrates the different cultures that live in Sun Prairie by bringing the community together for an experience of unique foods, performances, activities, and more. 

The first annual event took place in 2019 out of the city’s desire to increase community programming that would bring Sun Prairie’s different identities together in celebration. The city collaborated with community members, leaders, and other partnering agencies for planning and development of the event. It is estimated that about 1000 persons attended the fair throughout the day. “The unexpected turnout from the first year could not have been accomplished without the contribution all of the different perspectives and ideas,” said Sandy Xiong, strategic planning and engagement manager. 

The cultural celebration was converted into virtual programming in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Multicultural Fair Radio Reboot, which currently airs by the Sun Prairie Media Center on 103.5 The Sun, replaced the in-person program with an hour-long radio show that celebrates a region of the world each month accompanied by an interview of a community leader sharing about that region. 

Planning for the 2021 event will continue for the next few months. The planning committee is still looking for sponsors, vendors, and performers. If individuals or organizations are interested in becoming a sponsor and/or have questions about sponsorship levels, they can email Mary Ellen Havel-Lang at spyfc@charter.net. Vendors and performers with any interest or questions can contact Sandy Xiong at sxiong@cityofsunprairie.com 

The City looks forward to resuming the in-person cultural celebration for the community as it one of the ways of honoring the diverse identity that makes Sun Prairie a thriving community. For more information about the event, please visit https://cityofsunprairie.com/multiculturalfair. A schedule of events and a list of participating vendors, exhibitors and performers will be shared closer to the event on the event website and on Facebook at https://facebook.com/spmulticulturalfair.