The Canyon Country Community Center once again hosted the city of Santa Clarita’s latest installment of its Celebrate series last week, with this month’s country being Peru.
Aimed at providing an immersive experience of cultures and customs from around the world, the event drew approximately 500 attendees.
The Celebrate series, held on the second Friday of each month from April through September, showcases a different culture at every event. The series aims to create a sense of community and offer attendees an opportunity to learn more about these other cultures.
“What’s been really fun about this event is just the vibrancy of the culture of Peru,” said Casey Miller, event organizer for the city of Santa Clarita. “It’s a very colorful culture … it’s all just so beautiful.”
One of the first things attendees would notice upon arrival would be the sweet and savory smells of Peruvian food. The sweet was provided by House of the Peruvian Cookie with the savory being provided by The Peruvian Guy — which produced a very long line for their famous empanadas.
As far as activities go, there was plenty to do. A virtual reality headset transported those who put it on to Machu Picchu — one of the seven wonders of the world. An enclosure simulated the dark and lush environment of the Peruvian rainforest as loudspeakers played the sounds of the jungle as attendees walked through it.
Instructors taught children how to weave Andean textiles using yarn and leather patches and educated them about the cultural significance of these ancient art forms. The little ones also had the opportunity to craft their own pan flutes from straws, paint the majestic Rainbow Mountain, and learn about the intricate Quipu system — which served as a communication tool for ancient Andean cultures and the Inca civilization.
The adults, meanwhile, could partake in Peruvian alcoholic beverages in the beer garden. Chilcano, a Peruvian cocktail, and Cusquena, a renowned beer from Peru, were just two of the items for attendees to enjoy.
In the beer garden was Manuel Laporte — a Santa Clarita resident originally from Peru — and his girlfriend, Yvonne Belarde. Laporte said he was really enjoying the event, particularly the music, and even had some pointers for the city if they have it again.
“I guess next time maybe they can teach (people) how to dance, you know?” said Laporte. “So people can get more into (the music), it’s a vibe — you’ll want to participate.”
Miller said the Celebrate series wasn’t just about educating residents about other cultures, but also about bringing together the cultures themselves as well.
“I think our community just really loves seeing different cultures represented and then also their own culture. Like last year, we had a lot of requests for Peru,” said Miller. “So we’re doing it this year and I think the community really loves to see that and be heard.”
Music was provided by INCA, the Peruvian Ensemble. A large drum circle made up of attendees was also featured.
