Surrey Fusion Festival: Indulge in epic eats from around the world

Surrey Fusion Festival/Submitted

The Surrey Fusion Festival returns for its 16th year this summer, with a huge two-day event celebrating this multiculturalism through food, heritage displays, and music.

Running on Saturday, July 22, and Sunday, July 23, Surrey Fusion Festival’s 2023 theme of “Dance Around the World” will be evident through more than just dance at the 50 cultural pavilions.

All 50 of these pavilions will also be dishing up incredible cuisine from their respective cultures, giving festival-goers a chance to try a bit of what makes Surrey and the Lower Mainland so delicious – and trust us, you’re going to want to come hungry.

From pad thai to jerk wings, mandazi to crepes, there will be a little something for everyone at this year’s festival.

You might also like:

In addition to the food at the pavilions, which are run by cultural groups and organizations throughout the Lower Mainland, the Surrey Fusion Festival will also have The Cantina – a licensed area where those who are 19+ can enjoy alcoholic bevvies between the hours of 12:30 and 9 pm each day.

Surrey Fusion Fest will also feature an Indigenous Village and marketplace, and the return of the popular Cultural Cooking Arena. Surrey youth will compete in cooking competitions on Saturday and cultural pavilion organizers will host cooking demonstrations on Sunday.

While not every country has released a menu just yet, here are all of the country-specific pavilions offering food this year, with just a taste of the kinds of dishes you’ll get to try out.

Afghanistan:

Qabuli Pallaw

Argentina:

Lomito sandwich
Choripan
Chipacitos (cheese bread)
Alfajor (dulce de leche filles cookies)
Pastafrola (sweet small pies)
Empanadas
Yerba Mate Ice Drink

Bangladesh

Barbados

Burundi

Sambusa
Donuts

Cambodia

Cambodian Chicken Skewer
Cambodian Beef Skewer
Cambodian Beef plate on rice and papaya salad

Canada

Cayman Islands

Surrey Fusion Festival/Submitted

China:

Meat buns
Dumplings
Chicken/Veg chow mein
Chicken/Veg fried rice

Colombia:

Tropical pineapple
Watermelon sensation
Potato tornado
Tropical juices
Empanadas

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Ecuador:

Mangos locos
Plato tipico
Inka drink
Tortillas potatoes

England:

Karak Chai
Ice Karak Chai
Limbu Paani
Flavoured Limbu Paani
Pink Chai
Ice Pink Chai

Fiji:

Curry chicken and rice
Fried fish and cassava
Traditional appies

France:

16 varieties of French crepes

Germany:

½ Pork Hocks with Sauerkraut and German Rye Bread
Pork Hock Meat in a bun Topped with Sauerkraut

Ghana:

Ghana jollof

Honduras:

Pollo con tajadas
Pupusas
Taquitos
Corn
Baleadas
Carne asada

India:

Veggie and fish pakora
Butter chicken
Tandoori chicken
Indian poutine
Faluda icecream
Milky buns
Samosas
Bhel puri

Indonesia:

Yellow rice and chicken satay
Yellow rice and bbq chicken
Chicken noodle
Corn fritters
Cantaloupe drink with chia seeds

Iran

Italy:

Gelato (scoops, sticks, sandwiches)

Jamaica:

Curry goat with rice and peas
Jerk chicken with rice and peas
Ackee and salt fish with fried dumplings
Beef soup with veggies
Jamaican patty
Jamaican pop

Japan:

Japadog

Jordan:

Musakahn (Chicken)
Grilled BBQ and Arayes (Beef, Lamb, Chicken)
Traditional Juice
Fattet Hummus and Vegan Mix Platter
Cheese Kunafah
Baked Muajanat
Maghloba

Kenya:

Mahamri (Swahili Bites)
Smocha (Swahili Chapati)
Nyama, Choma, and Kachumbari (assorted roasted meat with salad)
Ugali Sukuma
Mbaazi (pigeon peas in coconut sauce)
Ukwaju
Sharubati (Juices)
Pilau

Métis

Mexico:

Tacos
Churros
Quesadilla
Nachos
Burritos
Tostadas

Namibia:

Lamb chops
Corn on the cob
Pap (fufu)
Namibian sausage
Rice
Lamb
Rice
Sausage and Corn
Beef curry stew

Nepal:

Chicken momo
Veggie momo
Chicken Choila
Veggie chow mein
Alu sandheko
Mango shake
Nepali tea

Niger

Nigeria:

Nigerian Jollof Rice Platter
BBQ grilled chicken
Poff poff
Nigerian Jollof Rice Vegetarian platter
Sautéed greens with Red Onions and Mushrooms/Chicken
Akara
Plaintains

Surrey Fusion Festival/Submitted

Pakistan:

Beef kabob with nan
Chicken tika grilled with nan
Pakistani kulfi
Pink tea

Palestine

Peru:

Ceviche
Causa rellena
Pulpo al olivo
Tiradito de tuna
Tuna sandwich
Chicha morada

Philippines:

Java Rice and BBQ Chicken
Pancit with Lumpiang Shanghai
Turon
Chicken Chicharon
Hopia

Rwanda:

Beef brochettes
Plantains
Rices
Mixed Veggies
Kasava leaves
Chicken legs
Fufu
Mandazi
Water
Soda

Sierra Leone:

Jollof rice
Akara (bean cakes)
Chiri yogurt

South Africa:

African ethnic food
Corn and meat
South African beef jerky

Spain:

Churros with toppings
Oblea

Syria

Taiwan

Thailand:

Thai iced tea
Spring rolls
Chicken skins
Red curry
Pad Thai

Uganda:

Mandazi (African Donuts)
Chapati
Katunda (Passion fruit iced drink)
Spiced tea
Muchomo (bbq meat skewers)
Pilawo rice

Ukraine:

Pierogies
Sausages

Venezuela:

Venezuelan Style Hotdog (Pork & Beef or Vegetarian)
Arepa (Shredded Beef, Chicken and Avocado, or Black Beans and Cheese)
Tequenos (Cheese Sticks)
Sugarcane lemonade

Vietnam:

Marinated BBQ chicken or pork
Chicken or pork – Vietnamese sub, Grilled chicken/pork marinated with lemongrass on rice
Spring roll
Fresh coconut juice
Passionfruit juice
Fruit syrup on crushed ice

Vietnamese-Canadian community:

Vietnamese Sub (Banh Mi)
Spring roll

Zambia

Zimbabwe:

Corn on the cob
Fat cook/Mandazi
Plantain
Samosas
Jerk chicken and rice
Curry goat and rice
Punch and iced tea

Surrey Fusion Festival 2023

When: July 22 and 23, 2023 from 11 am to 10 pm
Where: Holland Park – 13428 Old Yale Road, Surrey
Admission: FREE entry

With files from Daniel Chai