The 51st annual Carrousel of the Nations across Windsor-Essex is shaping up to be the biggest ever.
The Multicultural Council of Windsor and Essex County (MCC) announced Thursday that the 2026 festival will feature 42 cultural villages located throughout the region, each offering authentic food, entertainment, music, dance, art, and traditions from around the world.
There were 37 villages in 2025 in Windsor, Amherstburg, Kingsville, and Leamington, including the Greek, Caribbean, Polish, Mexican, and Middle Eastern villages.
The new villages this year include the Iraqi, Brazilian, and Cambodian villages.
Dr. Saad Jassim, president of the Multicultural Council and chair of the Iraqi village, says the Iraqi village will be held at 850 Division Road in Windsor alongside the Afghan, Korean, and Indian villages.
“We’re proud to be Canadians, but there is also, let’s remember our culture; let’s not stay away from it and connect with other cultures as well,” he says.
Chanthorn Sok is a committee member of the new Cambodian village that will be at 5265 Howard Avenue in LaSalle. She says most people don’t realize how flavorful Cambodian food is.
“So traditionally, we’re really known for a lot of our spices of lemongrass, turmeric, and all those flavours will come together with a little bit of spice. We’re also known for our beef skewer sticks and then desserts, traditional noodles, chicken fried rice, and seafood,” she says.
19-year-old Maria Zalewski will be part of the dance element on display at the Polish village at 1275 Langlois Avenue in Windsor. She says as a Polish-Canadian, being able to teach people about her culture is amazing.
“We have a lot to share with everyone, right? Our culture is truly a remarkable one. Our music, our traditions, our dance group here, Tatry—every dance represents a different region. It’s truly something that you want to share and show others," she says.
Carrousel of the Nations 2026 will take place over two weekends: Friday, June 12 to Sunday, June 14, and Friday, June 19 to Sunday, June 21.
Last year’s event attracted an estimated 150,000 to 200,000 visits to the various villages, generating an estimated $1 million for the local economy.
Carrousel of the Nations has been named Top Festival and Event in Ontario by Attractions Ontario for the past three years.
Click here to find more information on the schedule for this year’s event.
