Holiday Folk Fair International brings traditions from around the world to SE Wisconsin for 80th year
WEST ALLIS, Wis. (CBS 58) -- It's time for the 80th annual Holiday Folk Fair. Learn about traditions and regalia from around the world and taste more than 20 different ethnic cuisines.
On Heritage Lane, you'll get a glimpse into the way some cultures currently live, and you can explore the past too. There are also daily performances, demonstrations and interactive exhibits throughout the fair, like the Buckskinners. They're a group of reenactors that take you to 1840's France. They use a drum circle, flutes and tools to get people involved.
"We keep the drum covered until we're ready to play," said Herbert Heck, one reenactor. "It just honors the drum and when we're ready to play we just take the cover off. The first beat is called spirit beat."
People are encouraged to talk to people at the fair and share in other cultures.
"Natives use the drum to pray to the great spirit. They could feel their heartbeat, but they couldn't hear it. So, they were afraid the great spirit didn't hear their prayer, so they took their heartbeat and put it on the drum."
The fair kicks off at 2 p.m. on Friday with a naturalization ceremony, and it runs through Sunday.