Folklorama is an event that runs for two weeks each August in Winnipeg, Manitoba

Manitoba

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, Canada

Canada

Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

. Folklorama is the largest and longest-running festival of its kind in the world (acknowledged by the International Council of Organizations for Folklore Festivals and Folk Art, also known as CIOFF). Visitors to the festival are invited to sample exotic cuisine and celebrate the cultural and ethnic heritage of people from dozens of countries who have made Winnipeg their home. Typically there are 40 to 45 pavilions presented, with half operating in week one and half in week two of the festival. Each country has an assigned venue, known as a pavilion. These pavilions are located throughout the city. Each pavilion presents a show featuring the song and dance of their culture, along with trademark ethnic cuisine and a cultural display. Many pavilions provide additional interactive components, such as having henna tattoos applied, or sell souvenirs and crafts to take home. Most pavilions also provide imported alcohol

Alcohol

In chemistry, an alcohol is an organic compound in which the hydroxy functional group is bound to a carbon atom. In particular, this carbon center should be saturated, having single bonds to three other atoms....

 from their feature country. Folklorama provides exposure to cultural groups and brings in thousands of tourists each year, adding to the city's economy. The Folk Arts Council of Winnipeg is the organizing body of Folklorama.

History

Folklorama was first held in August 1970. It was originally intended to be a one-time occurrence in celebration of Manitoba's centennial. It was deemed such a success that it became an annual event. The first festival was only a week long, featuring 21 different cultures; it drew approximately 75,000 separate pavilion visits. The festival adopted its current two-week format in 1988, with half of the pavilions open in each week. As of 2007, only five of the original pavilions have been open every year. They are: German, Philippine-Nayong Pilipino, Ukraine-Kyiv, Greek and Scandinavian.

The festival's mascot, the Folklorama Llama, was created in 1986.

Until 1990, pavilions would have a mayor and a hostess. The hostess would be in the running for the Miss Folklorama pageant at the end of the festival. The Miss Folklorama pageant was not a beauty pageant but a contest of ethnic preservation and presentation. Since 1990, pavilions now feature two adult ambassadors and two youth ambassadors.

Statistics

• On average, Folklorama receives around 400,000 pavilion visits each year. The 2008 festival received approximately 446,000 pavilion visits. The majority of those who attend the festival visit more than one pavilion.
• About 21% of pavilion visitors come from outside of Winnipeg.
• Typically, more than 3,000 entertainers perform at more than 1,500 shows throughout the two-week festival.
• On average, 600,000 meals are served and 1,000,000 beverages are poured before the conclusion of the festival.
• Approximately 20,000 volunteers participate to make Folklorama possible.
• Folklorama has an economic impact of about $14.7 million on the Manitoba economy
  Economy
  An economy consists of the economic system of a country or other area; the labor, capital and land resources; and the manufacturing, trade, distribution, and consumption of goods and services of that area...
  
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2011 Pavilions

There are a total of 43 pavilions included in the 2011 festival.
week 1

• African Pavilion
• African/Caribbean Pavilion
• Alpine Pavilion
• Belgian Pavilion
• Brazilian Pavilion
• Casa do Minho Portuguese Pavilion
• Caribbean Pavilion
• Celtic Ireland Pavilion
• Chilean Pavilion
• Colombian Pavilion
• Croatian Pavilion "Zagreb"
• Cuba Va! Pavilion
• El Salvador Pavilion
• German Pavilion
• Greek Pavilion
• Hungaria Pavilion
• Hungary-Pannonia Pavilion
• Indian Pavilion
• Indo Tropical Paradise Pavilion
• Indochina Chinese Pavilion
• Ireland-Irish Pavilion
• Israel Pavilion-Shalom Square
• Italian Pavilion
• Korean Pavilion
• Métis People Pavilion
• Mexican Pavilion
• Pabellon de España - Spain Pavilion
• Pavillon canadien-français
• Pavilion of Portugal
• Pavilion of Scotland
• Pearl of the Orient Philippine Pavilion
• Philippine Pavilion Nayong Pilipino
• Romanian Pavilion
• Russian Pavilion
• Scandinavian Pavilion
• Serbia "Kolo" Pavilion
• Serbian Pavilion "Beograd"
• Slovenija Pavilion
• Spirit of Ukraine Pavillion
• Tamil Pavilion
• Ukraine-Kyiv Pavilion
• Ukraine-Lviv Pavilion
• Warsaw-Poland Pavilion

Week 1 (August 1–7)

1. Africa/Caribbean Pavilion

2. Brazilian Pavilion

3. Casa de Minho Portuguese Pavilion

4. Chilean Pavilion

9. Indo Tropical Paradise Pavilion

10. Ireland-Irish Pavilion

11. Italian Pavilion

12. Mexican Pavilion

13. Paraguay "Heart of South America" Pavilion

14. Pavilion canadien-français

15. Philippine Pavilion Nayong Pilipino

16. Romanian Pavilion

17. Russian Pavilion

18. Serbian Pavilion "Beograd"

19. Sudanese Pavilion

20. Tamil Pavilion

21. Ukraine-Kyiv Pavilion

22. Warsaw-Poland Pavilion

Week 2 (August 8–14)

23. Africa Pavilion

24. Argentina "Tango" Pavilion

25. Belgian Pavilion

26. Caribbean Pavilion

27. Celtic Ireland Pavilion

28. Chile Lindo Pavilion

29. Colombian Pavilion

30. Ethiopian Pavilion

31. German Pavilion

32. Greek Pavilion

33. Hungary-Pannonia Pavilion

34. India Pavilion

35. Israel Pavilion-Shalom Square

36. Korean Pavilion

37. Métis People Pavilion

38. Pabellón de España-Spain Pavilion

39. Pavilion of Portugal

40. Pavilion of Scotland

41. Pearl of the Orient Philippine Pavilion

42. Scandivinian Pavilion

43. Serbian "Kolo" Pavilion

44. Slovenija Pavilion

45.Ukraine-Lviv Pavilion

Week 1: August 2 - 8

1. Africa Pavilion

2. Belgian Pavilion

3. Caribbean Pavilion

4. Celtic Ireland Pavilion

5. Colombia Pavilion

6. German Pavilion

7. Greek Pavilion

8. Hungary-Pannonia Pavilion

9. India Pavilion

10. Israel Pavilion - Shalom Square

11. Korean Pavilion

12. Métis People Pavilion

13. Mexican Pavilion

14. Pabellón de España-Spain Pavilion

15. Pavilion of Portugal

16. Pavilion of Scotland

17. Pearl of the Orient Philippine Pavilion

18. Russian Pavilion

19. Scandinavian Pavilion

20. Serbian "Kolo" Pavilion

21. Ukraine-Lviv Pavilion

Week 2: August 9 - 15

22. Africa/Caribbean Pavilion

23. Alpine Pavilion

24. Brazilian Pavilion

25. Casa do Minho Portuguese Pavilion

26. Chilean Pavilion

27. Croatian Pavilion "Zagreb"

28. Cuba Va! Pavilion

29. El Salvador Pavilion

30. Hungaria Pavilion

31. Indo Tropical Paradise Pavilion

32. Indochina Chinese Pavilion

33. Ireland-Irish Pavilion

34. Italian Pavilion

35. Pavilon canadien-français

36. Philippine Pavilion Nayong Pilipino

37. Romanian Pavilion

38. Serbian Pavilion "Beograd"

39. Slovenija Pavilion

40. Ukraine-Kyiv Pavilion

41. Warsaw Poland Pavilion

External links

• Folklorama Official web site: http://www.folklorama.ca/
• 2009 Folklorama Travel Guide: http://www.folklorama.ca/images/stories/travel_guides/travel_guide_2009.pdf