Folkfest 2026 wrapped up Saturday, bringing food, music, performances and cultural experiences to Prairieland Park. The festival, which started Friday, brought together 11 cultural pavilions representing communities from around the world. That’s considerably smaller than earlier years of the festival with the absence of large pavilions like the Karpaty Ukrainian and Irish for the past few years. Even with fewer pavilions, visitors had the opportunity to sample traditional foods, watch live performances, and learn more about the cultures and traditions represented throughout the festival. “I like all the entertainment. It was really enlightening to see all the different countries and all the different cultures,” said Aisha Ayitogo from Nigeria. Regular Folkfest attendee Erik Olson told CTV News that he’s encouraged because he felt more enthusiasm from the crowd this year. “Wasn’t sure with it being smaller than some years how it was going to be, but it looks like people are having a good time and actually showing up.” Ghazal Ahmadi volunteers at the Persian pavilion and enjoys sharing her culture with others and seeing their reaction. " I really like Folkfest because it’s all the cultures coming together as one and the performances and the food.”
