Steeped in history

Traditional folk dancing and the pungent aroma of Armenian cuisine filled every corner of Glendale’s Civic Auditorium over the weekend, but it was the independent organizations, historic cultural displays and a diverse ethnic audience that added a vibrant dimension to the ninth annual Armenian Festival.

Organized by the Armenian Relief Society’s Western chapter, the festival was a two-day celebration of the organization’s centennial year.

For co-organizer Emma Garabetian, who publicized the event in a handful of publications, it was a chance to introduce the general population to the culture.

“We have to work with the Glendale community, not only the Armenian community,” she said. “When they come and see us at this event, we will be closer and can work much better together.”

Nabin Panda and his wife, originally from India, were invited by an Armenian friend and had never been to such a festival.

“I’ve been trying to come to this for the last three years,” said Panda, who lives in Signal Hill and attends the Self-Realization Fellowship Glendale Temple on Chevy Chase Drive.

“I wanted to explore the culture, food and dance.”

Winnie Jang, who lives in Arcadia and is of Asian descent, attended for similar reasons.

“I like to see and experience different cultures and people,” she said. “The traditional dance is amazing; it opened my eyes.”

Jang wished the festival had a public relations point person as well as a travel agency booth for non-Armenian attendees.

“We want to travel to Armenia, but we don’t know where to start and who to approach,” she said. “I hope there can be more media and more material to let other kinds of people join Armenians and understand.”

In addition to performances by popular Armenian singers, the festival showcased organizations like the Armenian Philatelic Assn., dedicated to stamp collecting with a focus on Armenian-related stamps.

One of the organization’s displays highlighted Russian cultural icon Artem Mikoyan, co-creator of the MiG military aircraft.

The association has been coming to the event for years, encouraging younger generations to take up the specialized hobby of stamp collecting, said President Marina Shahbazian. The association, which boasts many active members in Glendale and Burbank, brought in Armenian stamp dealer Armen Hovsepian from Kansas for the festival.