Thousands of people from across Waterloo Region and beyond gathered in Kitchener’s Victoria Park for the 59th annual KW Multicultural Festival. The festival showcases cultures from around the world through food, music, dance and community exhibits. Attendee Hussain Fatehali said that festivals like the KW Multicultural Festival are pivotal for the community, more now than ever. “I feel like, especially in a country that’s as diverse as Canada is, at this current moment, it’s important to not only learn one another’s culture, one another’s background, kind of what their history is, but it’s very important to embrace it, bring that in and respect it utmost,” he said. For attendee Djay Kassaye, the event brought a sense of excitement and connection. “2026 has been nice… [it] made me feel like my brain just got defrosted and came to the real life right now,” he said. “A lot of excitement this year… probably more than I have seen within these couple of years. This year has been the best multicultural festival.” The celebration comes as Waterloo Region is also hosting visitors and soccer fans during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which has helped highlight the region’s cultural diversity. Fatehali said the World Cup has added to the atmosphere. “You know, I’m a big football fan myself. I go outside, I see everyone wearing their jerseys, wearing their home countries, wearing the country that they’re supporting,” he said. “It’s amazing to see. I feel like it fosters a really big culture, especially within our society, a kind of acceptance.” Organizers are already looking ahead to next year, when the KW Multicultural Festival will celebrate its 60th anniversary.
