Pop culture has had an impact on how
and when we celebrate
ds,
Go o d frien
go o d times
a Antonel
Photo by Ev
A TRIBUTE TO ALISTAIR MACLEOD
A BOOKFEST WINDSOR 2014 EVENT
OCTOBER 23-26
Also appearing at BookFest WINDSOR 2014
Caroline Adderson, Steven Galloway, Douglas Gibson and Nino Ricci
For an up-to-date list of featured authors and scheduled events visit our website and
like us on Facebook
www.bookfestwindsor.com www.facebook/bookfestwindsor
marking milestones as they are about indulging superstition.
They also give us the opportunity to perpetuate our own
traditions. Birthdays and anniversaries are made all the sweeter
by a generations-old recipe for potato salad or a long-gone
relative’s famous dessert. Photos and video allow us to record
the moments we marked accomplishments like graduations, new
jobs or even just a decent report card. And baking a pie on
March 14 – Pie Day – well, that’s mostly about the pie.
Pop culture and technology has also had an impact on how
and when we celebrate. May the Fourth, Towel Day (May 25) and
Talk Like a Pirate Day are now perpetuated by the Internet and
social media, allowing the geeks of the world to unite in their
love of all things nerdy. And thanks to The Big Bang Theory, even
non-Americans can find a reason to celebrate Columbus Day.
(watch Chris Columbus movies all day) Let’s face it, without the
Internet, the loonie’s birthday would have come and gone, and
we would have had to find another reason to have a party.
While many current community occasions still find their
basis in religion or history, modern living has taught us the
value of cherishing the things we have in common. You need to
look no further than Windsor-Essex to see how we, as a
community, celebrate our similarities – and our diversity.
Twelve months of the year, communities and
neighbourhoods find reason to celebrate. We celebrate the
weather and the season – Winterfest and Summerfest. We
celebrate music – Bluesfest, Folk Fest. We take pride in observing
our local artists through Art Walks and Exhibits, and our writers
through Bookfest. We honour the products of our region – Corn
Fest, Tomato Fest, Lavender Fest. Calendar patterns prevail as we
mark the migratory patterns of our native birds in the spring
and fall. Our history receives its due through things like Military
Heritage Days, Emancipation Day and Labour Day festivities.
And our beautiful mosaic population is honoured and
recognized through the Carrousel of Nations and other
multicultural offerings through the year.
This month, we celebrate 147 years as a nation. Although
Canada Day is July 1, there’s no reason the party can’t continue
for 31 days. Diversity, hope, community and triumph are the
hallmarks of our daily lives as Canadians, and are very good
reasons to gather together, eat cake, and make some memories.
So mark being Canadian; being in Windsor-Essex; being alive;
with a barbecue, dinner or day at the beach. There’s no better
reason to celebrate – not that you needed one.