37th Annual International Villages Festival A Cultural Treat
What other time of year can you experience cultures from around the world right here in your hometown? From July 7 – 10, Brantford’s International Villages Festival will showcase the many cultures that live, grow and thrive side-by-side in our great city.
Get your passport and gain access to all 14 villages for the duration of the festival – enjoy the various cuisine, music and entertainment of the diverse mix of cultures that make Brantford unique. This year, the festival runs from Wednesday, July 7 to Saturday, July 10, 2010, with most villages open from 5:00 p.m. to in-and-around midnight.
You can buy either a one- or four-day passport at $5 or $7, respectively. Passports are available now at the Sanderson Centre for the Performing Arts, the Brantford Visitor & Tourism Centre or the Best Western Brant Park Inn & Conference Centre. They are also available at each village during the festival.
The 2010 Village List
Best of Britain Village
Army, Navy & Air Force Club
645 Colborne Street, Brantford ON
Entertainment: Sing-along, Scottish Dancers, Irish Dancers; Grand River Gloggers; Whistlers; Jake the Peg; and Late-Nite dancing with D-J Beatbox.
Menu: Fish and chips, Shepherd’s pie, Ploughman’s lunch; and cakes and pastries.
German Village
Sonnenhof Hall
194 Henry Street, Brantford ON
Entertainment: Sunshine Girls Dance Group (excluding Saturday); Little Miss Sunshine Dance Group; and the Sonnenhof Dancers.
Menu: Weiner schnitzel, bratwurst, sauerkraut, stroganoff, goulash, cabbage rolls, knackwurst, potato pancakes, German potato salad, and desserts including black forest cake and strudel.
Guyanese Village
Royal Canadian Legion Br #90
21 Oak Street, Brantford ON
Entertainment: Dance Cultures by Caribbean Folk Performers; Vern Payne; Ethnic Foods and Limbo Caribbean Folk Performers; and Erux Dance Studio & Steel Band.
Menu: A variety of native foods from the Guyanese culture.
Hungarian Village
Hungarian Hall
104 Albion Street, Brantford ON
Entertainment: Csárdás Dancers of all ages performing traditional Hungarian dances; DJ from 10 p.m. – 1 a.m on Saturday night.
Menu: Cabbage rolls; breaded chicken, Debreceni sausage, potato of the day, pickles, vegetables, bread and butter, Langos, desserts, beverages, and daily specials.
India Village
St. Mary’s Parish Hall
133 Murray Street, Brantford ON
Entertainment: Featuring Punjabi, Gujarati, Rajasthani and South Indian dances.
Menu: Tandoori, vegetarian and curry dishes, Kulfis, chilled Indian ice cream, and Indian beer.
Village Italia
Rossini Lodge
104 Grey Street, Brantford ON
Entertainment: Valigia D’Oro Introduction; Rita Materno Band & Village Italia Band; Tony Ieluzzi & Village Italia Band; Charles DiRamondo and the Frank DiFelice Band & Village Italia Band; Coro Abruzzese & Village Italia Band; and Musica Italia.
Menu: Spaghetti and meatballs, pizza, and wine.
Latin America Village
Dunsdon Legion
9 Tollgate Rd., Brantford ON
Entertainment: Interactive Zumba Dance Fitness by Art in Motion; Latin and World music; nightly shows by Art in Motion Dance Studio; “Las Cortadoras” (traditional Salvadorian dance); meregue dance; Tango; and Colombian and Brazillian dance.
Menu: Mexican tacos, Salvadorian Pupusas (tortillias), Columbian Empanadas (meat pies), and nachos.
Muslim Village (representing 22 countries)
Brantford Mosque
192 Greenwich Street, Brantford ON
Entertainment: Continuous cultural displays, artifacts, and costumes; henna applications.
Menu: Freshly baked ethnic foods.
New York, New York Village (LLBO Licensed)
Bellview Community Centre
55 Tom Street, Brantford ON
Entertainment: Karima Helou and Ancient Moves Dance Company; Studio 55 Dance.
Menu: New York style mini panini’s, hot dogs, and cheesecake, and snack foods, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.
Philippine Village (Nayong Pilipino)
Sydenham St. United Church Hall
120 Sydenham Street, Brantford ON
Entertainment: Traditional folk dances, songs and music; special guest performers; fashion show featuring traditional and modern costumes; and scenic videos of the Philippines.
Menu: Traditional foods and delicacies from the Philippines, including San Miguel beer.
Polish ‘Warszawa’ Village
Polish Alliance Hall
126 Albion Street, Brantford ON
Entertainment: Polish folk dances by the Potok Dance Ensemble, featuring nightly special guests.
Menu: Traditional Polish fare such as shish-ka-bobs, pierogies, cabbage rolls, sausage, and meatballs.
Polish ‘Polonaise’ Village
Polish Hall
154 Pearl Street, Brantford ON
Entertainment: Hejnal Song and Dance Ensemble; The White Eagles (Bialy Orzel) Song & Dance Ensemble from Toronto; and late night DJ Brian Grosvold.
Menu: Polish Polonaise dinner, ziemniaki (potatoes) with dill, pierogi, kapusta (sauerkraut), golabki (cabbage rolls), kielbasa (polish sausage), kotelty (meatball), schnitzel, patyczki (city chicken), kura (chicken), various side dishes, and assorted desserts.
Scottish Village
Brantford Air Force Club
144 Grey Street, Brantford ON
Entertainment: Every day is Robbie Burns and St. Andrew’s Day combined. Enjoy the “Toast to the Haggis” every night at 6 p.m.; scotch tastings; traditional music and dance.
Menu: A tasty selection of traditional Scottish dishes.
Ukrainian Village
Ukrainian Catholic Church
100 Terrace Hill, Brantford ON
Entertainment: Village “Ükraina” Dancers; cultural displays and souvenir sales.
Menu: Pyrohy (perogies), cabbage rolls, shishkabobs, borstch, sausage and sauerkraut, meatballs and gravy, mashed potatoes, desserts, and coffee.
With a line-up like this, how can you not want to come out to the festival? Village times vary; please check each particular village for hours. Click to open the official Brantford International Villages Festival website. This will open in a new browser window.
Click to figure out your route throughout the villages. This map will open in a new browser window. Take advantage of the free shuttle service from village to village to truly get a “taste of the world!”
For more information, please check your passport (for each of the villages’ operating hours), or click to go to the official Brantford International Villages Festival website, or phone 519-756-8767.