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Variety of music, activities and clothing during Culture Fest

Photos by Karin Elton Somali women wore their usual Muslim garb such as the jilbab while Hmong children donned traditional dress and headgear. The many cultures of the Marshall area were on display at the annual Culture Fest, a Sounds of Summer event.

MARSHALL — Henna, soccer and poetry were among the many activities and entertainments at the annual Culture Fest Friday evening at the Schwan’s parking lot on West College Drive.

Part of the Sounds of Summer festival, the event is billed as celebrating diversity and all of the different cultures in our community.”

Organizer Ron Skjong, who is with the Karen Organization of Minnesota, was pleased with the day.

“It’s a perfect day,” Skjong said. “We’re having a wonderful turnout. It exceeds my expectations. I love to see all of the different cultures.”

Skjong is the “fearless leader” of the Cultural Diversity group, said member Jamie Struck of Advance Opportunities. Other members include Jesus Reyes and Jamie Lanners. Struck manned a popcorn machine along with Rhonda Lyon, the Advance executive director.

Lyon said the day was a “great opportunity for Advance Opportunities to be inclusive and part of the community and have the support of the community.”

Lyon took to the mainstage and shared part of her heritage with the crowd. Her mother is from the island of Guam. The native people of Guam are called Chamorro, she said. Guam is a United States territory. Her friend, Ysabel Castaneda, modeled traditional Chamorro dress.

Rebekah Reynolds, the A.C.E. Lyon County Coordinator for senior services, shared her Irish heritage. She said her maiden name is “O’Neill” and she is originally from the German town of Winthrop. “My dad was one of three full-blooded Irish men. My relatives immigrated to America because of the potato famine.” Reynolds read three poems which illustrated some of the things that Ireland is known for — potatoes, St. Patrick and leprechauns.

Other event attractions included pinatas for children. Children were given a stick and tried to break the moving pinata which held candy and toys.

Also soccer players from the Marshall United Soccer Association participated in a “juggling” contest where they tried to keep the soccer ball in the air as long as possible with their feet with as many touches as possible.

Carlos Reyes and Genesis Hernandez performed a skit about Hmong courtship followed by a fashion show coordinated by Carla Reyes.

Music filled the air and Coldstone Creamery offered ice cream and other treats while El Rancho food truck provided burritos.

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