Norfolk’s 2026 Multicultural Food Festival

Delhi Hungarian Hall at the Multicultural Food Festival in Delhi on June 6.

Chris Abbott

Editor

It was a busy day Saturday at the 2026 Multicultural Food Festival at the Delhi Tobacco Museum and Heritage Centre on June 6.

“It’s a great day,” said festival co-organizer Judy Schaeffer from the Multicultural and Heritage Association of Norfolk. “Our mandate, really, is to get people aware of the growing diversity in our community. So we want to make sure people enjoy various foods, visit the Tobacco Museum, and consider joining Multicultural (MHAN). We need more members, new young members to be able to sustain us.”

The Deconinck family of Delhi introduced festival-goers to Indian cuisine, one of the outdoor vendors this year.

“We have buttered chicken, we have chick peas and puri (fried roti), and this year we have vegetable pakoras (fritters),” said Perry Deconinck with his wife Kimmi and family. “They (organizers) wanted to represent India and they chose us,” Perry smiled. “I know how to cater and do this part, and she knows how to cook the Indian food. “I hope we get even more people this year, but honestly, the weather forecast scared us a little bit. They asked us if we wanted to move inside, I said ‘If it rains, yes, hold a spot for us.’ If it’s nice, we’d like to stay outside.”

Last year’s Multicultural Food Fest had about 650-700 people. “This year we have a few new vendors,” said Schaeffer, noting the addition of African cuisine. “We have two Filipino vendors this year – Lola Letty from Port Dover and Springroll Fantasy.”

Indoors, the Delhi Hungarian Hall, German Home, and Polish Hall all participated. Other vendors included a multicultural barbecue, Sweet Darlings Coffee and Bites (Korean), La Hacienda Mexican Restaurant, and Ukrainian perogies.

The desserts – a wide variety - were donated by the community. “We had more this year than last year,” said Andrew Moore, curator of the Delhi Tobacco Museum and Heritage Centre. “And the weather today is supposed to get better and better.”

“We also have live music,” Moore noted.

Jim Hooft performed indoors, and outdoors were Traci Kennedy, Nolan Gibson and JP Reimens. The Royal Canadian Legion, Branch 125 Delhi, partnered with the Multicultural and Heritage Association of Norfolk to run the 50-50 draw.

New this year, a free shuttle service was offered to the festival from the Delhi Soccer Club. “We didn’t realize we were going to have 650-700 people here last year and we because it’s the 2nd annual, we knew parking was going to be an issue,” said Moore. “Murphy’s (Funeral Home) was generous enough to give us their parking.”

“A big thank you to Don and Rebecca Murphy, allowing us to park at the funeral home’s (nearby) triangular parking lot,” Schaeffer nodded.

“We have about 20 Multicultural & Heritage volunteers, too,” said Moore. “Without them, it couldn’t happen.”

“And we have a number of student volunteers,” Schaeffer added.