On Saturday, May 10, 10 am to 8 pm, the World Heritage Cultural Center (WHCC) will be hosting its inaugural International Food and Music Festival at the Sandy Hook Volunteer Fire & Rescue Main Station, 18-20 Riverside Road.

The event will feature food from around the world, including Jamaican, Brazilian, and Indian. During the day, there will be several live performances from 20 different cultural groups.

WHCC founder, Sattie Persaud, said, “This is our 291st concert across about 14 states in the US since 2009. We work with 850 cultural groups, but this is the very first in Sandy Hook … we wanted to keep it in the Hook.”

“The entire community came together,” Persaud said. “An event like this takes a village, honestly.”

She shared that Sandy Hook Organization for Prosperity (SHOP) and the Newtown Lions Club have been donating equipment and time to pull the event together.

The free event will feature many community businesses, organizations, and restaurants for attendees to talk to and learn about.

At 10:30 am, a lighting ceremony will kick off the festivities. The ceremony is meant to symbolize light over evil across cultures. Persaud said it is how the WHCC starts concerts everywhere.

Following the ceremony, Senator Julie Kushner will address the crowd.

Pianist and entertainer NXGB from Central New Jersey will perform for the crowd, as well as Shuga, a Jamaican reggae and dancehall singer. The Kalinka Dance Ensemble of Baltimore will be performing traditional folk dances, Anindita Nanda will perform traditional Odissi dances, and Manuel Trillo will perform Latin dances such as the tango and rumba.

“We just want people to come and enjoy,” said Persaud. “It’s going to be beautiful. Where else can you go and find up to 20 cultures on stage? Now it’s in Sandy Hook.”

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Reporter Sam Cross can be reached at sam@thebee.com.