PeopleFest! 2020

Though we are unable to gather in person like we have in past years, our virtual PeopleFest! Party will still feature a variety of opportunities to learn about many of the cultures that enhance the Eden Prairie community. From July 31-August 14, get lost in this impressive collection of content that has been curated by the PeopleFest! Planning Committee.

Visit the virtual exhibit hall

Experience featured visual and performing artists

When: Friday, July 31, 2020 at 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM CDT

Where: Staring Lake Amphitheatre, 14800 Pioneer Trail

Details: Free, no registration required

Come enjoy traditional Native American dance!

Bring a lawn chair or blanket, and pack a snack and refreshments. Concessions are not available on-site.

Limited seating available and physical distancing between groups is enforced. Seating begins 45 minutes before each performance.

When: Saturday, August 1, from 6:00 - 8:00 PM

Where: Zoom (online event)

Details: Registration is now closed.

Cook delicious Indian meals with very simple ingredients. Have some potatoes and white rice at home? That's great! Learn to spice it up with something new! As one of our virtual PeopleFest! 2020 offerings, explore the culture and tastes of India as you learn how to make a light, gluten-free meal with a delicious potato curry and rice pilaf (pulao) with peas and carrots.

As this course will be held on Zoom, you will need access to video and audio either on a computer or tablet or phone with internet connection. You do not need to pay for a Zoom account, but you will need to set up a free basic Zoom account to login to class.

When: Sunday, August 2, 2020 at 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM CDT

Where: Staring Lake Amphitheatre, 14800 Pioneer Trail

Details: Free, no registration required

Ecuador Manta originally started out as traditional Andean folk band from Ecuador, South America. Over the last fifteen years the band has evolved into a sound best described as Latin Fusion, World Music. Come and enjoy!

Bring a lawn chair or blanket, and pack a snack and refreshments. Concessions are not available on-site.

Limited seating available and physical distancing between groups is enforced. Seating begins 45 minutes before each performance.

When: Monday, August 3 - Thursday, August 6, 1:00 - 4:00 pm

Where: Forest Hills Elementary, Cafeteria

Details: Registration is now closed.

For youth entering grades 1-6. Join us as we learn about various world cultures! As part of PeopleFest!, our annual community-wide celebration of culture, this camp will feature different guest speakers who will share about their own cultures. Students will engage in a wide variety of fun, cultural activities and explore what makes these cultures unique. 

When: Wednesday, August 5 from 7:00 - 8:00 PM

Where: Google Meet (online event). Simply click on this link to participate: meet.google.com/myd-rudv-szp 

Details: Free, no registration required

Celebrate the launch of Life Journeys, a magazine  and blog written by community members participating in Family School, a program for Eden Prairie parents who are learning English. Listen to the stories and wisdom from their lives as these brave writers share their memories, thoughts, and feelings about life, parenting, and the complexities of moving to a new country.

Please note that this event is taking place via Google Meet. If you are joining with a mobile device, you will need to be logged into a Google account. 

When: Thursday, August 6, 2020 at 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM CDT

Where: Staring Lake Amphitheatre, 14800 Pioneer Trail

Details: Free, no registration required

Come enjoy Caribbean dance music!

Bring a lawn chair or blanket, and pack a snack and refreshments. Concessions are not available on-site.

Limited seating available and physical distancing between groups is enforced. Seating begins 45 minutes before each performance.

When: Saturday, August 8, 12:00 - 3:00 PM

Where: Watch Live at iamn.org/live#

Details: Free, no registration required

Immerse yourself in colorful Classical, Semi-Classical, Bollywood and regional solo and group performances. Visit booths with decoration, traditions, and culture from various regions of India, showcasing the diversity of India. Participate in fun virtual activities for adults and kids. Visit the Bazaar for traditional Indian clothing and accessories. Hosted by the India Association of Minnesota as part of the 2020 IndiaFEST celebration, simply click on the link to participate. 

Please note: Additional IndiaFEST live streamed events are taking place August 1, August 7, and August 15. More info at iamn.org.

When: Monday, August 10, from 6:30 - 8:00 PM

Where: Zoom (online event)

Details: Registration is now closed.

Gain a better understanding of what Islam teaches and what Muslims practice. This online class, brought you in partnership with the Islamic Resource Center, will introduce basic terminology, demographics, religious celebrations, and differences between religion and culture, specifically the Somali/East African culture. Get your questions answered firsthand in a safe and open environment. This course will be co-presented by John Emery and Mohamed Abdirahman Ali via Zoom.

You will need access to video and audio either on a computer or tablet or phone with internet connection. You do not need to pay for a Zoom account, but you will need to set up a free basic Zoom account to login to class.

When: Wednesday, August 12 from 6:30-8:00 pm

Where: Zoom (online event)

Details: Registration is now closed.

Learn how to make different kinds of tea and explore varying customs and cultural significance of teas from around the world. Feel free to bring your own recipes and to share your traditions as well!

As this course will be taught virtually, you will need access to video and audio either on a computer or tablet or phone with internet connection. This class will be held on Zoom. You do not need to pay for a Zoom account, but you will need to set up a free basic Zoom account to log in to classes.

When: Thursday, August 13 at 2:00 pm

Where: The Celebrating Differences Children's Story Video Library is now live in the Virtual PeopleFest! Exhibit Hall; the live parent discussion will take place on Google Meet (online event; see join link below)

Details: Free, no registration required

View a video library showcase where special guests from the district and community read books or tell stories that celebrate different cultures and differences between people. These pre-recorded stories are geared towards children 10 and under and are available the Virtual PeopleFest! Exhibit Hall.

Thursday, August 13 at 2:00, join a live parent discussion with Parent Educator Stephanie Hendrickson to learn how to support a healthy social identity among your children, talk about differences, and respond to your children’s questions about people who are different from them. 

Link: Simply click on this link just before 2:00 pm on August 13 to participate in the live parent discussion: https://meet.google.com/jre-echp-gkh?hs=122&authuser=0. Learn about Google Meet by visiting this support page.

When: Friday, August 14 from 6:30-8:00 pm

Where: Zoom (online event)

Details: Registration is now closed.

Hosted by the Eden Prairie Chinese Association as part of the 2020 PeopleFest! celebration, join us for a first-hand look at Chinese Culture! The Open House will include a presentation about the Chinese community and Chinese cultural traditions in Minnesota and Eden Prairie, live demonstrations of making Chinese dumplings and Chinese calligraphy.

As this course will be taught virtually, you will need access to video and audio either on a computer or tablet or phone with internet connection. This class will be held on Zoom. You do not need to pay for a Zoom account, but you will need to set up a free basic Zoom account to log in to classes.

When: Friday, August 14, 5:00 PM

Where: online event

Details: Free, no registration required

Celebrate Pakistan’s Independence Day with the Pakistani American Society of Minnesota or PASofMN (پاس). This virtual celebration will be hosted on PASofMN’s website.

Link: https://www.facebook.com/events/287423939183373 

Eden Prairie’s PeopleFest! A Community Celebration of Culture is a series of educational events and a culminating party that reflect the range of traditions, backgrounds, abilities and expressions of our community through literature, music, dance, visual art, food and education offerings.

The purpose of PeopleFest! is to bring residents together in celebration and awareness of the many cultures that make Eden Prairie great. Our community-wide celebration is presented in collaboration by the City of Eden Prairie, Eden Prairie Schools Community Education, Eden Prairie Community Foundation, Interfaith Circle, Academy for Young Leaders, Eden Prairie Human Rights and Diversity Commission, Eden Prairie Chinese Association, India Association of MN, Eden Prairie TreeHouse and others. PeopleFest! is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.

To learn more, contact Molly Patil, Director of Adult & Community Engagement Programs, at mpatil@edenpr.org or 952-975-6942.

To help prevent the spread of COVID-19, our celebration is taking place (mostly) online this year and includes virtual events and content celebrating the spirit of our annual festival, highlighting cultural competency and inclusion while supporting community engagement.

The PeopleFest! Planning Committee has worked hard to provide a wide variety of opportunities to explore and celebrate culture between July 31-August 14. Though the PeopleFest! Party, typically the celebration's largest event, will no longer take place at Staring Lake Park & Amphitheater, this website serves as the stage and features an amazing collection of cultural performances, art, and other opportunities to learn and enjoy from home.

Along with many in the Metro area and across the world, we have been mourning, reflecting and acting in response to the murder of George Floyd. The deep emotions felt throughout the community have only increased our committee’s resolve to move forward with PeopleFest!. We stand in solidarity with our BIPOC community. We welcome your wisdom, honor your pain and commit to continued change within ourselves and our communities.  

The PeopleFest! Planning Committee recognizes that many in our community are experiencing trauma and expending extraordinary energy to respond to the impacts of COVID-19 and the murder of George Floyd.  Out of respect for the important work going on in our community, we decided to extend our application deadline to allow extra time for our artists and organizations. 

Artists and organizations were encouraged to submit proposals that recognize and speak out against systemic racism and institutional oppression, lift up and celebrate cultural traditions or practices, or spark community dialogue. As always, the purpose of the applications were for individuals or groups to share their unique voice; including but not limited to artists of color, artists with disabilities and LGBTQ+, women-identified, indigenous, or immigrant artists.

PeopleFest! A Community Celebration of Culture continues to be a collaborative event between multiple organizations across Eden Prairie with a desire to uplift voices that are so often silenced in our country. It is a true celebration of the range of traditions, backgrounds, abilities and expressions that add to the vitality of our communities. Participants spend time together sharing, listening to one another and building community through educational services, literature, music, dance, visual art and food.

We look forward to the kick-off event, which will be Friday, July 31 (online and at Staring Lake Amphitheater).

Signed the following Members of the PeopleFest! Planning Committee:

Najma Ali, Eden Prairie Human Rights & Diversity Commission

Lori Brink, City of Eden Prairie Parks & Recreation

Quresha Hassan, Academy for Young Leaders

Rachel Mikel, Community Member

PG Narayanan , Eden Prairie Community Foundation & City Council Member

Farrah Osman, Academy for Young Leaders & Mother’s Tutoring Academy

Molly Patil, Eden Prairie Schools Community Education

Jenifer Prince, Community Member

Tammy Ryder-Harms, Eden Prairie TreeHouse

Jes Schrom, City of Eden Prairie Arts & Events

Shanti Shah, Eden Prairie Heritage Preservation Commission & India Association of Minnesota

Mark Weber, Eden Prairie Community Foundation

Megan Yerks, City of Eden Prairie Housing & Community Services & Human Rights & Diversity Commission

Masaood Yunis, Pakistan American Society of Minnesota & Strykers Cricket Club