Waterbury Festival ‘The Gathering’ Returns to Library Park

I've heard my hometown called many things over the years: armpit, the dirty water, the opioid center of the state, etc. One thing is for sure, Waterbury is very diverse. I grew up with Albanians, Dominicans, Chinese, Polish, Italian, African American, Puerto Rican, and even German neighbors, and this was Town Plot!

A richly diverse festival is coming back for the seventh time to Waterbury's library park on Saturday September 21, 2019. The Gathering will take place from 11 AM to 7PM, with a rain date of Sunday September 22 in place

I attended last year's Gathering, and I was really glad that I made the effort. It's a huge event, with thousands of people representing their culture in food, dance, and commerce. If you've ever wanted to buy a Pakistani flag, or a Native American Dreamcatcher, this is the time and place to get it in the Brass City.

Plenty of food trucks line the street in front of the Waterbury courthouse, serving up unique ethnic foods from all over the world. There will be countless performances by people representing their home countries, and it's really a feast for both the eyes and stomach.

And did I mention that this is a free event? Get down there and spend a Saturday expanding your world, and hanging out with your neighbors, they've got something unique to their culture, and this is the day to explore and enjoy.