BRADFORD’S Roma community marked a religious and cultural festival with an event in City Park last week, welcoming local community figures and residents, as well as Bradford Council leader Susan Hinchcliffe.

The event, organised by Girlington-based community organisation Connecting Roma, celebrated Mikuláš (Saint Nicholas Day) and featured talks, food and live music.

Mikuláš is celebrated in a number of European countries, as well as in other parts of the world, and is a Christian festival which relates to Saint Nicholas’ reputation as a bringer of gifts.

The celebration was on 6 December, and Connecting Roma director Daniel Balaz said the group was “very happy and proud” to have played host.

“The Roma community enjoy this festive tradition and came to share their culture with the wider Bradford community”, he said.

“Given that there is still uncertainty with the pandemic, it was a lot of hard work putting the event on, but it was absolutely worth it.

“We had support from Bradford Council, Bradford for Everyone and Stronger Communities, and we also had Councillor Susan Hinchcliffe and Councillor Abdul Jabar join in with the celebrations.

“As Connecting Roma director, as a Bradfordian and a member of the Roma community, I was very happy to see people from different cultures and backgrounds joining us - it shows exactly what Bradford is all about.

“People loved seeing Mikuláš the angel and the infamous Krampus, they were also happy to receive chocolate and gifts from Salas Slovakian restaurant, who had a stall, and to hear Roma music.

“It was great to showcase the Eastern European and Roma culture in Bradford, and we cannot wait for more events in the future - expect even bigger and better next year!

“From all of us at Connecting Roma, we wish everyone in Bradford and the surrounding areas a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year.”

Clairemarie Eden, Principal of Clairemarie’s School of Dance, brought a group of her dancers to perform at the event.

“The girls really enjoyed being involved in this big celebration for the Roma community”, she said.

“Everyone has their own festive traditions, and they should all be celebrated.

“I’m from an Italian background, so we have our own traditions, and it’s good to be involved in different things and learn from other cultures.”

18-year-old Lyra, who took part in the performance, added: “I’ve learnt something new from this event, and it was fun to dance in front of a crowd.

“I’ve been dancing since I was three, and this event was really interesting.”

Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe, Leader of Bradford Council, said: “The Mikuláš event was a great opportunity for me personally to learn more about this festival. 

"The celebrations of our different communities are a huge part of our feeling of belonging, so it’s always a privilege to be let into and learn about someone else’s traditions. 

"The Roma community, like other communities in the Bradford district, is welcome here and it was lovely to see families with children gathered after school to join in the celebrations.

“This was the first year that the event was hosted in City Park and I look forward to it returning next year, hopefully even bigger and better.”