Passport To Unity prepares to stage a comeback

When Bon Soo adopted Passport To Unity in 2016 to prevent the cultural event from being canceled, certain challenges had to be addressed. And given the short planning period, the event fell short of expectations.

“It wasn’t, given the timeline, what anyone intended it to be,” Bon Soo Manager Kerrie De Poli told SooToday recently. “We understood that, and our partners understood that. It was that, or no Passport to Unity. Those were the options, literally. With great respect to its creators (The Sault Community Career Centre), they didn’t want to cancel it.”

The 2017 edition of Passport To Unity, which takes place on Monday, Feb. 20 from 2 to 6 p.m., will see the event move from the Essar Centre to the winter carnival’s new home at The Machine Shop.

“The Essar Centre is a wonderful venue, but it’s a big venue,” De Poli said. “The biggest difference between the Essar Centre and the Machine Shop is the hockey seating, which at any given point . . . maybe 15 people would be sitting in those seats. It wasn’t part of the event, it just happened to be part of the building.”

The cost associated with hosting the event at the Essar Centre was also prohibitive, she said.

The biggest challenge with hosting a cultural event of this nature is the demand placed on those providing food. It seemed the supply ran out earlier with each passing year.

“Asking people to (supply the food) is a really big thing, and I would like the public to consider that expectation,” De Poli said. “Not that the food vendors weren’t delighted to share, but it is a huge thing to do.”

“The beautiful thing about having that wonderful kitchen on site is that they can maintain a supply of food so all our guests will be able to enjoy the experience.”

In addition to a few private food vendors, including one offering Syrian cuisine and another baking artisanal pizza, the majority of food will be provided by the host venue and will feature an authentic Afro-Caribbean selection of menu items.

A variety of arts, dance and music will grace the stage as Passport To Unity kicks off in its traditional manner with a performance from the Healing Lodge Singers.

Outside the venue, representatives from the OPP, the Sault Police Service, and the 49th Field Regiment will host a ball hockey tournament with area new Canadian citizens, including those originally from Syria and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

While Passport To Unity takes place after the Bon Soo Winter Carnival officially wraps, De Poli has dubbed it the ‘Bon Soo Bonus Day’ allowing it “to be its own little boutique event within the carnival, but still gives it its own moment.”

Passport To Unity is free to attend with a Bon Soo button or $1 without. Menu items will be very affordable, De Poli said.

To learn more about Bon Soo and all its associated events, please click here.