Calgary’s Romanian community celebrates Romanian National Day on December 1, 2015.
The Maria Market and Bistro will be busy tonight, November 1, 2015. People of Romanian decent are celebrating Romanian National Day.
“It’s just like Canada Day,” says Ioana Todica, owner of Maria Market and Bistro. “It’s one day when everyone celebrates their heritage, their traditions, their country. We are happy to be Romanian, we are proud to be Romanian and we want to celebrate out national day here in Calgary.”
There are about 10,000 Romanians in Calgary in a close-knit community.
Romanian National Day was created in 1918 after the first world war.
“Before 1918 it was a lot of Principalities,” said Bogdan Toader of the Romanian Canadian Cultural Association of Calgary. “All of us were Romanians but because of the wars and everything happening around, we all were divided. In 1918 we all came together as a country.”
A celebration will take place at the restaurant tonight, December 1, 2015 with food, music and dancing. It echos the celebrations that are happening in Romania, where there are parades, fireworks and parties.
