BAR HARBOR — Mount Desert Island’s tourist economy owes an incredible debt to the hundreds of seasonal workers who come for the summer to work in hotels, restaurants, and other venues. The majority of these workers are people of color who work on Mount Desert Island seasonally to support their children and families in their home countries. They are an essential part of the MDI economy, yet they may be virtually invisible to the year-round community, working long hours and living in employee housing or lodging.
A group of nonprofits and former seasonal workers who have made MDI their home have come together to plan the Cultural Fusion Fest, a free, family-friendly event to celebrate diversity and inclusion, welcome seasonal workers to MDI for the 2024 season, provide connections to community resources, and offer opportunities for cultural exchange.
The Cultural Fusion Fest will take place on Thursday, May 2 from 3:30-7 p.m. at the YWCA, located at 36 Mt. Desert Street in Bar Harbor. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend! The event is designed to be a cultural exchange, primarily focusing on Caribbean and New England cultures in this first year. It will feature live music from Stream Reggae, a Maine-based reggae band composed of members from Dominica and Jamaica, and the Big Moose Contra Dance Band, who will lead attendees in a traditional New England contradance. The event will also feature information tables with area nonprofits and businesses offering resources of use to seasonal workers who are new to the community. These resources will help connect workers with transportation, food access, health resources, and more.
Island Take Out, a Jamaican-owned business in Bar Harbor, will prepare traditional Jamaican foods for the event. The event will also feature traditional New England foods to extend the sense of cultural exchange. All food will be free for attendees.
An overarching goal of this event is to help build a sense of belonging among seasonal workers who make MDI their home for a significant portion of the year, as well as to help bridge the gap between seasonal and year-round community members.
This event is being organized by Bar Harbor Food Pantry, College of the Atlantic, Healthy Acadia, Island Take Out, Jackson Lab, Open Table MDI, YWCA MDI, and Witham Family Hotels. Sponsors include Choco-Latte, Cleary Law, Mount Desert Island Hospital, Ocean Properties, Royal Indian Restaurant, and more. For more information on the event or to support this effort, please reach out to Healthy Acadia, at [email protected] or by calling 207-667-7171. The group is deeply thankful for the community’s generous support.
Healthy Acadia is a 501(C)(3) community health organization building vibrant communities and making it easier for everyone to lead healthy lives throughout Washington and Hancock counties. For more information about Healthy Acadia’s health and wellness programs and services, visit https://www.healthyacadia.org.
