As mentioned in my introduction, the first evening of Folklorama for me was spent in London, literally. I was in the United Kingdom a day before attending this pavilion. What an appropriate way to begin my 2017 adventure!
United Kingdom Pavilion
Venue: Punjab Cultural Centre (1770 King Edward St.)
Dates: Sun. Aug 6th to Sat. August 12th
Extended shows: Sun, Mon & Sat – 3:45pm, 5:00pm
** For a complete, updated listing of pavilions I have visited so far, please click here.
Cultural Display
From my years of attending Folklorama, this is one of the cultural displays that I truly spend a lot of time in. They have an outdoor component – I mean, quidditch demonstration, anyone? How cool is that? They have photo booths where yours truly donned a crown and royal cloak. They have local organizations who have set-up tables based on their hobbies or specialties and are ready to answer any questions you have.
There are boards and boards of famous Brits that you will recognize, and they also have a table dedicated to the Royal Family. Keep your eyes peeled for a volunteer Royal Guard, and yes, you can take a photo with him. I also hear that the Tardis (for all you Dr. Who fans) will also have a special spot.
I learned a lot about the achievements of Beatrix Potter that I had never before learned until I had a wonderful conversation with a volunteer. Be on the lookout for the table with a collection of hedgehog related everything!
This is the largest hedgehog collection that was accumulated by just one person (no outside contributors) – and lucky for us, she’s present for us to chat with! Not to mention that they have a lot of fun in their cultural display. There’s even a sorting hat, for you Harry Potter fans!
Families with children will definitely be entertained here with the activities including live animals that are held outside of the pavilion in between shows. Never a dull moment here.
Food
They have classics as part of their menu including classic cottage pie and chips. I personally tried this one! It was delicious and such a generous serving size. I definitely took the entire show to finish this meal.
They also had another UK classic: bangers and gravy-covered mash, which comes with a side of mushy peas. For dessert, you can’t go wrong in trying their sticky toffee pudding.
Top it off with some beverages including (non-alcoholic) rock shandy! I mean, hey, it was 3:45pm. 😉 The bar certainly has a wide variety of ales and spirits if that’s what you’re into!
Entertainment
The idea of “United” Kingdom definitely fell into play here. As you travel between different regions, a slideshow explains the significance behind the performances and what situations it would be performed for. You’re getting your education in without the need for an MC – so you’re getting a full, flowing show! One of the things I learned was a song (accompanied by a dance) about Dic Penderyn who was considered the martyr of the Welsh working class. The performers ranged in their ages and came from a variety of different organizations. What was key is that these young performers were dancing traditional pieces from more than one region of the United Kingdom! Live music was played by two bands who shared the stage the entire show.
Above and Beyond
This cultural display, quite honestly, is such a fun one to explore – and we enjoyed our tour from one of the pavilion ambassadors. As we left the theatre, they had some pre-packaged goodies for their VIP guests. How sweet (no pun intended)! I appreciated having a printed program in front of me that I could refer to and see trivia, performing group information, and a complete menu.
Congratulations to the United Kingdom Pavilion for another successful run at Folklorama. What’s your favourite part of the UK experience? Connect with me and let me know!
** For a complete, updated listing of pavilions I have visited so far, please click here.
xoxo,
Judianne