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L'Orient-Le Jour
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- L'Orient-Le Jour
Donkey race, fruit festivals and saints' days: Lebanese summer traditions you won't want to miss
As the heat settles over Lebanon's hills and valleys, village squares fill with music, laughter and the scent of home-cooked food. Summer here is more than just a season; it's a return to roots. Families gather from cities and abroad, and old traditions come alive once again in festivals tied to land, faith and memory. The traditions support small economies, encourage the Lebanese diaspora to come home and keep long-standing traditions alive. Here's how Lebanese villages are keeping these customs alive: Cherry Picking in Hammana Each June, the mountain village of Hammana (Baabda district) paints itself in red, black and gold as local cherry trees bloom. Known for the fruit, people from all across the country flock to the town's annual Cherry Festival. The event celebrates the harvest with a full day of cherry picking, musical performances and cultural exhibitions alongside stalls overflowing with fresh cherries, jams, desserts, juices and more. Local artisans display handicrafts, while children enjoy activities and families take part in folk dances and live music. Visitors have the opportunity to pick cherries directly from the orchards, with some tours including hiking and discovering the cultural heritage of Hammana. The Donkey Race in Roum In the village of Roum, nestled in Jezzine's green mountains, a peculiar and cherished tradition made its comeback after more than 10 years: The Donkey Race. 'After 10 years of not hosting the race due to internal crises within the municipality, including over three years without a municipal head, we tried to revive it as part of my promises as a candidate,' Johnny Haddad, head of the Municipality of Roum, told L'Orient Today. 'The race is part of Roum Festivals, which traditionally took place every summer." The festival begins on its first day with the agricultural fair, showcasing the village's local products — from clay and grapes to olive oil and olives. The opening also includes plays for children and various activities spread over three days. The event usually brings locals from several southern districts, including Jezzine, Saida, Nabatieh and even from Beirut. Donkeys in colorful ribbons line up for a 220-meter sprint down the village square, accompanied by 12 horsemen and a cheering crowd. The donkeys usually have playful names like Neswanje (womanizer), Shayef Halo (showoff), Mkarkab (clumsy), Jahlen (in love in his old age), and Ghannoujet Bayya (daddy's girl). "After the race, the attendees gathered for a traditional wedding night performance by local artists Charbel Haddad and Jessy Jarjoura," Haddad said. The Fig Festival in Majdal al-Meoush Perched in the Chouf district, the village of Majdal al-Meoush is so famous for its figs that sellers across Lebanon often call their own produce 'Meoush figs' to lure customers. Every summer, the village hosts a fig festival where 'all farmers in the region are invited to share their produce,' Georgina Merhej, an employee at the municipality, told L'Orient Today. 'The figs in Majdal al-Meoush are special and known for their quality.' The event, supported by the municipality, transforms the village into a local market and cultural gathering space. Vendors line the streets and public squares with tables full of homemade fig-based products — from jams and dried figs to cakes, juices, and traditional Chouf dishes made with local ingredients. Local women offer home-cooked meals and desserts, while others sell handmade crafts and mouneh, giving the event a distinctly communal and self-sustaining character. Throughout the day, visitors walk through the market, talk with farmers and taste samples of what the region has to offer. In the evenings, the focus shifts to the village square. Locals bring out instruments and spontaneous music breaks out. Saints' Festivals in the Bekaa Across Lebanon's Christian villages, especially in the Bekaa Valley, summer is marked by religious celebrations that bring together food, prayer and entire communities. These saint festivals often coincide with feast days and revolve around local churches, attracting people from nearby towns as well as Lebanese living abroad who make a point of returning to celebrate. Eid al-Saydeh (Saint Mary Festival) is one of the country's most important annual gatherings. Locals gather around the church to cook and serve hrisseh — a traditional wheat-and-meat dish — free to all attendees. In Rashaya, the festival has a rural and homemade feel. Michel Daoud, a local who regularly attends, described the traditions: 'For Eid al-Saydeh, people bring homemade sweets, cakes, stuffed grape leaves, rice with chicken, tabbouleh, kebabs — all traditional food made at home. They sell it to support the church.' He added, 'Grapes and figs are always offered to guests. It's part of our hospitality.' In Deir al-Ahmar (Baalbeck district), the celebration is a neighborhood affair. 'In front of every house, you'll find food and drinks offered to visitors,' Daoud explained to L'Orient Today. 'It's like one big open street festival in Christian areas.' Further south, in Kfar Meshki (Rashaya district), the Mar Elias Festival on July 21 includes religious processions, children's games, music and food stands selling traditional preserves and church-related items. In Beit Lahya (Rashaya district), the celebration features a traditional rural dinner with saj bread, fresh juices, dabke dancing and prayers. In September, the Elevation of the Cross draws crowds to streets lined with stands offering marshmallows, grilled corn, onions, and cotton candy in front of homes and churches. Beyond their religious significance, these festivals play an important economic role. 'It's a way to support the local economy,' said Daoud. 'A lot of people sell their homemade products, and you see Lebanese from all backgrounds coming together, not only Christians.' He noted that even locals who run shops selling clothes or accessories set up kiosks during the festivals. 'It's a very local, rural way of marketing their businesses.'
Eater
05-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Eater
An Inaugural Festival Celebrates Northern Michigan's Burgeoning Food Scene
is an award-winning writer and journalist who covers the local food scene from her home base in Ann Arbor, Michigan. This month, one of Michigan's most beloved destinations will debut what organizers hope will be a new tradition. At the inaugural Traverse City Food & Wine festival, Wednesday, August 20, through Sunday, August 24, attendees will explore the region's rich culinary landscape through five days of experiences hosted by high-profile, award-winning chefs and media personalities. More than 70 events will take place — from farm dinners and lakeside brunches, to wine pairing classes and tastings aboard a historic schooner on Grand Traverse Bay. The goal? To offer a deeper, more delicious taste of what makes the region so special. Chef Mei Lin is a part of the lineup at Traverse City Food & Wine. She grew up in Dearborn. Traverse City Tourism With Northern Michigan's cerulean lakes, 50-plus wineries, a palpable farm-to-table energy, and a diverse agricultural bounty, it's actually surprising this sort of event hasn't happened sooner. (Traverse City is best known for its annual, family oriented Cherry Festival in early summer.) Unlike massive food festivals where you're lost in the crowd, organizers designed Traverse City Food & Wine to be more intimate, says Whitney Waara, COO at Traverse City Tourism. The Grand Tasting on Saturday, August 23, in Open Space Park — the largest event of the week — offers a chance to interact with the chefs, farmers, and winemakers behind the flavors. Tickets range from $125 to $225 per person, plus tax. Festivalgoers will roam among tents to snag bites from local restaurants, plus wines, ciders, beers, mocktails, and also pairings, such as a crisp Black Star Farms pinot blanc with a rich, nutty raclette from Leelanau Cheese Company. 'We didn't want to replicate another city's food and wine festival — we wanted to highlight what's uniquely Traverse City,' Waara tells Eater. The line-up of award-winning chefs is impressive for an inaugural festival, and most have connections to Traverse City or broader Michigan. Celebrity chef Tyler Florence spent the early part of his career in Traverse City. Miller & Lux Additional talent includes Top Chef finalist and James Beard nominee Sarah Welch, who left her executive chef job at award-winning Marrow in Detroit to develop a Traverse City fine dining restaurant with husband Cameron Rolka, the executive chef at Detroit's Mink. Their new restaurant and oyster bar, Umbo (referring to the highest point of a bivalve shell), at 430 E. Front Street, is scheduled for a 2026 opening and is on the bites roster for the Grand Tasting event. Jennifer Blakeslee and Eric Patterson, co-chefs at the Cook's House in Traverse City and the only two Michigan chefs named finalists in this year's James Beard awards, will take attendees on a farmer's market shopping trip, followed by a cooking demo at their restaurant. Ji Hye Kim, a five-time James Beard semifinalist and owner at Miss Kim and the recently opened Little Kim in Ann Arbor, will host a luncheon on the patio at Artisan. 'We're bringing in chefs who know and love this area, alongside our local talent,' Waara tells Eater. 'It's a creative space where they can collaborate and maybe even invent something new.' The region around Traverse City is home to more than 50 wineries. Traverse City Tourism Mario Batali, who has a home in Northport on the Leelanau Peninsula, has kept a low national profile in recent years outside of virtual events and an investment in Common Good Bakery, a local business with two locations, following sexual misconduct allegations and several related lawsuits (all since settled). He'll host a Tuscano Lunch at Bonobo Winery on the Old Mission Peninsula. Waara declined to comment when asked about Batali's participation in the event. Most of the region's wineries snake up two scenic peninsulas, sandwiched between Grand Traverse Bay and Lake Michigan, just north of the city's center. With its glacial soils, well-drained slopes, and lake-effect climate, the region works very well for varietals like riesling, pinot noir, cabernet franc, gruner veltliner, and even chardonnay, merlot, and sauvignon blanc. Traverse City Food & Wine will feature a variety of events, including vineyard tours and tastings. Grace Photography You're less likely to see cabernet sauvignon grapes, which need more time to grow than Michigan's short summers can deliver. That said, discussions with winemakers reveal that Michigan has gained growing days in recent years with a documented rise in the state's average temperatures. Some are experimenting with techniques to support more types of varietals: Mari Vineyards grows about six acres of heat-loving red grapes in its 'hoop houses,' which allows an additional four to six weeks of maturation. With 20-plus direct flights into Traverse City during the summer, and a registered festivalgoers hailing from Michigan and Illinois to New York, according to Waara, the event is drawing at least some national buzz. 'We're seeing strong interest from locals and visitors alike,' Waara says. 'This is going to be something special for everyone who comes, whether you live down the road or you're flying in from the East Coast.' Traverse City Food & Wine takes place from Wednesday, August 20, through Sunday, August 24; events range from small-group tastings to curated dining experiences and are individually ticketed — many have or are expected to sell out. Eater Detroit All your essential food and restaurant intel delivered to you Email (required) Sign Up By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
CTV News
05-07-2025
- Entertainment
- CTV News
Annual city festival aims to cherr-ish community
The annual Cherry Festival returned to Kitchener for its 15th year on Saturday. The festival takes place in Cherry Park, tucked away in the middle of a neighbourhood. 'What better way to celebrate? We have a Cherry Park then to have a Cherry Festival,' said Shirley Gosselin, the past-president of the Cherry Park Neighbourhood Association. The festival one of the events the association runs every year. They've been doing so since 2008, only skipping two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 'We emphasize a lot about volunteering and giving back to the community,' said Gosselin. 'So, we have smaller events, which are just for our neighborhood but we wanted one event that was for the whole city.' Gosselin said the festival usually brings around 4,000 to 5,000 people to the park to enjoy cherry-flavoured desserts and other food for attendees to purchase and enjoy. The event also had various entertainment including live music, performances by local children's musician Erick Traplin, inflatable attractions, a swing carousel, a pie-eating contest, a vintage car show and a centre stage for wrestling. 'We like to say we have something for all ages,' said Gosselin. 'A lot of people bring their own picnic and just enjoy the music so they're not spending any money and other people come and buy their lunch and go to the vendors. So, there [are different] ways to spend your whole day here.' Spencer Merino is a local of the area who has been to Cherry Park but never to the festival. 'They put up signs around the city, and I heard about it,' he said. 'Me and my sisters seemed interested in it, so we invited our friends out to come and watch.' Merino said these kinds of events are important. 'I think taking part in community things is fun,' he said. 'Making friends in the community and showing that we are a community, all that is good and it's a good place to meet people in your city.' Gosselin said knowing your community and neighbours can help foster healthy relationships. 'I want to live in a neighborhood where people know one another and watch over one another's places,' she said. 'I see people come every year, and they stop and they're talking and they haven't seen each other since the previous year… They look forward to it.' Gosselin explained how the festival is run by volunteers who are passionate about togetherness. 'We have over 100 volunteers, helping make this event run as smoothly as we can,' she said. 'We like to create these festivals and things that the neighbors do that makes our city a welcoming place that people want to live in. You don't want a place where people just go into their house and lock their doors. Come on out, enjoy the park.'
CTV News
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- CTV News
What's happening July 5 and July 6 in Waterloo Region
An undated stock image of cherries in a paper plate (Pixabay/Pexels). Here's what's going on in Waterloo Region this weekend: Hespeler Village Music Festival July 5 This free event in Forbes Park has music, a kids zone, food and entertainment ready for the whole family. Local Author Storytime July 5 Kids and families can enjoy story-time with a local artist at the Guelph Public Library. Watch a play in Stratford July 5 and July 6 Sit back and relax at the Stratford Festival! Highlights include Sense and Sensibility, Annie and Macbeth. Release your inner Swiftie July 5 TAYLOR: A Tribute to the Eras of Taylor Swift will brings the pop star's biggest hits and iconic costumes to Centre in the Square. Catch a baseball game — or two July 5 and July 6 On Saturday, the Guelph Royals take on the Hamilton Cardinals at David E. Hastings Stadium at Exhibition Park , while the Kitchener Panthers will face the Toronto Maple Leafs at Jack Couch Park on Sunday. Check out the St. Jacobs Farmers Market July 5 The region's biggest farmers market has everything from food to fashion. It's open every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday this summer. Make a big splash at Bingemans July 5 Check out the Big Splash water park at Bingemans. Take a dip in the heated wave pool, or slip and slide on the Cyclone, Torpedo Bay, Boomerango and Full Throttle attractions. The pool is also open for a night swim . Cherry Festival July 5 The Cherry Park neighbourhood is celebrating everything cherry! There will be a variety of tasty treats, as well as a carousel, inflatable attractions for the kids and more than 70 vendors. Stretch to some beats July 5 Check out AM Shift: Morning Yoga and DJ Set to start your Saturday with music, relaxation and community.
Morocco World
22-04-2025
- Morocco World
Morocco Launches UNESCO Food Heritage Project to Protect Culinary Traditions
Rabat – Morocco has launched a national consultation as part of a new UNESCO project that aims to create the world's first International Food Heritage Atlas. The project also includes a digital platform to protect, promote, and pass on food heritage to future generations, said UNESCO in a press release. Funded by Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Culture and carried out in partnership with Morocco's Ministry of Culture, the initiative supports the goals of UNESCO's 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage. The project seeks to map, document, and share traditional food practices from around the world, and recognize them as a form of living heritage essential to cultural diversity, sustainable development, and social cohesion, added the statement. Morocco has been chosen to take part in the pilot phase of the project. The first version of the Food Heritage Atlas is expected to be ready by the end of 2027. The first stage will focus on identifying traditional food practices in Morocco and building local capacity to protect them. During the consultation, officials noted that five out of Morocco's 15 items listed on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists are related to food practices. These include the Cherry Festival in Sefrou and the traditional knowledge surrounding the argan tree. Morocco also shares several food-related listings with other countries. However, many of these practices are under threat due to major challenges like climate change, globalization, and a breakdown in passing knowledge from one generation to the next. That is why experts stress the need for collective action, UNESCO says. 'Food practices and culinary traditions are more than just recipes. They reflect our identities, our lands, and our relationships with others and with nature,' said Eric Falt, UNESCO's Regional Director for the Maghreb. 'By valuing them, we build a future rooted in diversity, sustainability, and respect for local knowledge,' he added. Mustapha Jlok, Morocco's Director of Cultural Heritage, added: 'By taking part in the UNESCO Food Atlas project, Morocco is showcasing the richness of its culinary traditions as a living expression of intangible heritage. With the help of local communities, the country is working to preserve skills passed down through generations, highlighting the deep connection between food, cultural identity, and sustainable development.'
