Top 10 of 2019: #7 – Festivals Make New Britain the Place to Be
Many important stories have been covered by the New Britain Progressive in 2019. It may be difficult to name only a few articles as the top stories of the year, but there are a few the New Britain Progressive would like to share as our Top Ten. Other Top Ten stories can be found at “Top Ten Stories of 2019.”
In a city that was once and perhaps will again have the motto “A City for All People,” New Britain residents are rightly proud of the many festivals and other celebrations of their diverse cultures.
New Britain has a rich cultural heritage and close ties and family and friendship with many counties around the world. Many of those cultures are celebrated by New Britain residents of all backgrounds in rich cultural events.
The festivals also make New Britain the place to be for people around the state, region and country seeking to reconnect with their heritage.
New Britain’s Little Poland Festival again drew tens of thousands of people to celebrate in the heart of the Broad Street neighborhood known as New Britain’s Little Poland to enjoy a vibrant celebration of Polish culture, music and cuisine. (Thousands Attend 2019 Little Poland Festival.)
Once again, the St. Joachim Parish Festival at St. Mary Church drew hundreds of people, where people enjoyed the cuisine from different Latin American countries, while enjoying music, dancing and friendship. (St. Joachim Parish to Celebrate Festival.)
New Britain’s Diaspora Multicultural Society held its Second Annual Multicultural Festival in 2019. The Society said that the Festival, “serves Diaspora’s mission of bringing together a diverse crowd to commingle and build community.” On a warm September afternoon, the Festival was a rich cultural and community celebration. (Diaspora Festival Brings Community Together.)
The New Britain Branch of the NAACP held its annual Freedom Fund Dinner, honoring the achievements of African Americans in the New Britain Community, including Pastor Briggitte P. Brown, Democratic Mayoral candidate Chris Porcher and author, entrepreneur, community advocate Trinene Davis. (Brown, Porcher & Davis Honored by NAACP.)
In 2019, New Britain celebrated a new festival celebrating Italian heritage, the St. Ann’s Festa Italiana. The all-day Festa was held the General Ameglio Italian Civic Association on Beaver Street, featuring delicious food from local restaurants and a celebration of Italian culture in the city. (Festa Italiana Celebrates Italian Culture.)
The city celebrated LGBTQ Pride Month with an official resolution approved by the City Council declaring that, “members of this Council support the rights, freedoms, and equality of those who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ),” and the raising of the Pride Flag in front of City Hall.
New Britain’s festival celebrations included the Dożynki Festival, the traditional Polish Harvest Festival, the Armenian Festival at the Armenian Church of the Holy Resurrection, the Noc Świętojańska Midsummer Festival at the Gen. Haller Post, the Rose Garden Festival, Main Street USA, YWCA’s Fall Family Festival. and the New Britain’s Police’s National Night Out event.
Of course, festivals are not the only major events held in New Britain. Of special importance, of course, is the annual Race in the Park, held each year to honor breast cancer survivors, and remember loved ones while supporting the work of the Connecticut Breast Health Initiative.
The New Britain Progressive, of course, apologizes in advance if we neglected to include any cultural celebrations in this article. Feel free to send an email to [email protected], and we may be able to update this article to include them. The New Britain Progressive also invites you to send information about any upcoming festivals or community events to the email address above, to help us fulfill our mission to inform the New Britain community.
New Britain’s cultural diversity is one of its truly great strengths, a strength that distinguishes it from most of the rest of the state. That diversity is worth celebrating, making those celebrations one of the New Britain Progressive‘s Top Ten Stories of 2019.
Thousands Attend 2019 Little Poland Festival
June 2, 2019
Thousands of people crowded New Britain’s Broad Street on June 2nd in celebration of the eighth annual Little Poland Festival.
From the size of the crowd thronging Broad Street, it appeared that Festival organizers’ prediction that 20,000 people would attend on the 2019 Festival was correct.
It also appeared that the decision late last year by Festival organizers to move the event from April, when it was held in prior years, to June paid off with warm summer weather. Unpredictable weather in April sometimes left Festival attendees in past years still wearing coats.
The annual festival draws huge crowds to celebrate in the heart of the Broad Street neighborhood known as New Britain’s Little Poland to enjoy a vibrant celebration of Polish culture, music and cuisine.
Festival organizers have said that, “From its humble beginnings 8 years ago, the Little Poland Festival has grown into one of the largest cultural events in the state and one of the largest Polish American festivals in the country.”
Diaspora Festival Brings Community Together
September 15, 2019
People enjoyed live music, food and vendors at the Diaspora Multicultural Society‘s Second Annual Multicultural Festival.
On a warm September afternoon, people attending the Society’s annual Festival enjoyed a relaxed atmosphere, while socializing and listening to music.
The music planned by the Society for the Festival included Mariachi Corazon de Oro, R&B singer, songwriter A Marquise, Reggae Band I Guru, singer Andrea Sims , singer, songwriter Anitra Brooks, hip hop artist Sha and house singer Khadija Lisa.
The Society has said that the Multicultural Festival, “serves Diaspora’s mission of bringing together a diverse crowd to commingle and build community,” adding, “Attendees will get to celebrate, participate in, and experience our community’s rich diversity.”
The Diaspora Multicultural Society says that,
We are building a movement of quality, socially conscious programming and entertainment unlike any other. There’s no better way to bring people of all backgrounds together than food, entertainment, and a seat at the table – our members drive our events and do so with passion.
In addition to its Annual Multicultural Festival, the Diaspora Society sponsors other community programming, such as its First Fridays Empowerment Series.
The Diaspora Multicultural Society is located at 90 John Street.
Brown, Porcher & Davis Honored by NAACP
September 28, 2019
The New Britain NAACP celebrated its 2019 Freedom Fund Dinner, honoring Briggitte Brown, Chris Porcher and Trinene Davis.
The Freedom Fund Dinner was held on September 27th at St. George Hellenic Center. The event was hosted by Dr. Peggy Lampkin.
The event is the annual gala event that supports the mission of the NAACP New Britain Branch.
Pastor Briggitte P. Brown was honored with the NAACP Lifetime Achievement Award. Brown, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, together with her husband, Bishop Rha-Sheen Brown, are ministers of Right Now Ministries on West Main Street.
Brown has been a longtime community activist, working as President of the North-Oak Neighborhood Revitalization Zone and as community organizer in the office of the Mayor. She has helped lead the New Britain Police Department as a member of the Board of Police Commissioners.
Brown’s biography says that, in her clinical work, “She works with individuals who struggle with past trauma, depression, anxiety, relationship issues, codependent and attention deficits,” saying that, “with prayer and treatment, you can overcome any barriers.”
Chris Porcher was honored with the NAACP Political Representation Award.
The NAACP said that it was honoring Porcher, the Democratic candidate for Mayor, as the “1st Black or African American mayoral candidate endorsed by a major political party in New Britain.”
Porcher holds a Masters Degree in Business Management. His biography says that he, “has management experience that includes managing executive stakeholder relationships, reality-based budgeting, project planning, and managing multiple staff.”
Porcher is a graduate of NBHS and received his Bachelor’s Degree from CCSU.
The prestigious John P. Shaw Community Service Award was presented to Dr. Trinene Davis. Davis’ biography says that, “She is a published children’s book author, national speaker, entrepreneur, community advocate and proud mother who has actively worked as a mentor for young kids and adolescents for 30 years.”
Davis is host and producer of “The Trendy Teen Talk Show” on Nutmeg TV and created the Your Soul Purpose Youth Awards to honor, “youth for their accomplishments and contributions in making a positive difference in their lives, their communities and the world.”
The Keynote Speaker for the banquet was Sonserae Cicero, who is Manager of Human Resources at Walgreens Corporation.
The New Britain NAACP has a PayPal site, allowing people to support the organization’s work.
The NAACP says that its mission,
is to secure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights in order to eliminate race-based discrimination and ensure the health and well-being of all persons.
The NAACP was founded in 1909 and is the nation’s oldest and largest nonpartisan civil rights organization.
Ronald P. Davis is the President of the NAACP New Britain Branch.
Festa Italiana Celebrates Italian Culture
August 19, 2019
Crowds came out to enjoy the community celebration of Italian culture and cuisine at the St. Ann’s Festa Italiana in New Britain.
Local restaurants served up delicious food.
There were activities to enjoy at the event, held August 18, 2019.
The all-day Festa was held the General Ameglio Italian Civic Association on Beaver Street.
Organizers have said that, “Festa Italiana’s goal is to celebrate Italian Culture in New Britain!”
“National Night Out” Celebrated
August 7, 2019
Hundreds of people gathered in New Britain’s Central Park to enjoy food, music and community at the 2019 “National Night Out.”
The annual event is was hosted by the New Britain Police Department, and New Britain Police Athletic League (PAL.
The 2019 event, held on August 6th, was organized featuring New Britain Police, SWAT, Fire and EMS vehicles, Police K-9 dogs, face painting, fingerprinting with New Britain Police detectives, a free cookout, music, games and prizes.
The New Britain event is one of many of similar events throughout the country. The National Night Out website has said the program,
is an annual community-building campaign that promotes police-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie to make our neighborhoods safer, more caring places to live. National Night Out enhances the relationship between neighbors and law enforcement while bringing back a true sense of community. Furthermore, it provides a great opportunity to bring police and neighbors together under positive circumstances.
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