Abid Sheikh could not have imagined an event like Saturday’s Culture Fest taking place in Saint John when the Uganda native immigrated here some 40 years ago.Back in 1972, Sheikh and his brother couldn’t even find the staple spices of his homeland in Port City stores or supermarkets.

But Saturday, standing among vendors from numerous ethnic backgrounds participating in the Saint John 225 Culture Fest at Rockwood Park, Sheikh reflected on just how much has changed. “Saint John (in the 70s) was, sadly, a very closed and conservative city,”Sheikh said.

“Now, Saint Johners are very accepting of other cultures and look forward to learning from other people and to share their own culture with other people,” said Sheikh, dressed in a traditional Pakistani gown called a Kurta. “There’s a flavour of acceptance here today and that’s very healthy.”

Hundreds of people turned out for the weekend cultural festival at the Fisher Lakes to celebrate the rich ethnic diversity that’s evolved in Saint John over 225 years.

Festival goers’ taste buds were tempted with dishes from all corners of the earth, from Greek and East Indian cuisine to Port City staples such as beef and beans.

Children scurried through thick crowds in search of items in the festival’s geocaching treasure hunt while others, young and old, soaked in the warm July sun along the beach or while canoeing on the lake.

A constant crowd hovered around the grand stage - set up a stone’s throw from the multicultural food court - where entertainers from various ethnic backgrounds performed traditional song and dance.

“There’s something here for everybody,” Lisa Hrabluk, a Culture Fest organizer, said.

“It’s just a wonderful day to spend at the park and this is the first time Saint John has done a multicultural festival of this size.”

Scattered clouds and the occasional kiss of a cool breeze offered temporary relief from the beaming sun, seeming to enhance the rich smells wafting from the vendor’s court.

The food was certainly a main attraction for George Little, a Scottish native who has lived in Rothesay for about 40 years.

“(The festival) is wonderful and it really indicates that Saint John has become a multicultural city,” Little said as Before the Mast sang sea shanties on the main stage.

“I hope there can be more than one every 225 years. Why not maybe once a year?” Hemant Kumar and his fiancée, Belinda Allen, enlisted as judges for the Saint John original dish competition after watching the FIFA World Cup in a tent set up for soccer fans.

“The festival probably makes other cultures feel welcome and part of the community,” Kumar, who was born in England and raised in New Brunswick, said.

“A lot of times people can come in and feel pretty isolated and stay within their own ethnic or cultural group, so this is an opportunity for them to showcase their culture and at the same time integrate with other people’s (culture).”

Bernard Cormier, cultural affairs officer with the City of Saint John, said Saturday’s festivities reflected the changing attitude and appearance of Canada’s oldest city.

“The cultural landscape of Saint John is changing significantly,” said Cormier.

“(Each ethnic group) is valuable and they all have something to add; a little bit of spice to the dish that is Saint John.”

Hrabluk said Culture Fest, the third of five festivals taking place under the Saint John 225 umbrella, was clearly a success.

“Certainly we’ve got a couple thousand people wandering around by the end of the day, which is wonderful,” Hrabluk said, adding the two previous festivals were also well attended. “Saint Johners have really embraced Saint John 225.”