The Cloverdale Rodeo and Country Fair embraces diversity

Surrey, British Columbia – The Cloverdale Rodeo and Country Fair is yet again making history on the worldwide rodeo circuit with the introduction of a first-of-its kind South Asian festival, designed to celebrate the unique and multicultural makeup of the City of Surrey and encourage further family participation in British Columbia’s most popular May Long Weekend event, occurring May 21 to 24, 2010.
The Cloverdale Rodeo and Country Fair will present Desi Mela on Sunday, May 23rd. The South Asian festival will incorporate a variety of Indo-Canadian music, dance and culture designed to appeal to families from all cultural backgrounds. Some of India’s most popular A-List performers will converge on Cloverdale to provide unparalleled entertainment that truly reflects the City of Surrey, where 27 per cent of the population is comprised of South Asian individuals and families.
“As a community-focused event, we really identify with the strong importance of family within the Indo-Canadian culture and we wanted to find a way to better welcome all members of our community to our event in the spirit of celebrating diversity and multiculturalism,” said Cloverdale Rodeo and Exhibition Association President Shannon Claypool. “We’re extremely pleased to be the first rodeo in the world to broaden our scope in the name of reflecting our community.”
The Desi Mela was made possible through support from the Marquee Tourism Events Program, one of several tourism-related programs announced in Canada’s Economic Action Plan.
While South Asian entertainment is woven throughout the entire Cloverdale Rodeo and Country Fair, Sunday features the main lineup, with a schedule packed with traditional folk music performances, Bhangra-infused dance music and even some comedy.
For more information visit www.CloverdaleRodeo.com.