The Minneapolis City Council issued a proclamation Thursday recognizing the annual Somali Week Festival.
Minneapolis City Council recognizes annual Somali Week festival
The festival, initiated in 2017, is held along Lake Street and coincides with independence celebrations in the African nation. The local programming begins this year on June 29.
The Minnesota Star Tribune
June 13, 2024 at 4:24PM
The weeklong event that began in 2017 is known as the largest of its kind outside of Somalia, said Council Member Jamal Osman.
The Lake Street festival features art, music, fashion and food. It often draws people from the Twin Cities and beyond, said Mohamed Farah, one of the event’s longtime organizers.
“The Somali Week is more than just a celebration, it commemorates Somali Independence Day which is July 1, 1960, reflecting the history, the strength and the triumph of the Somali American people,” Farah said.
Beyond the Somali community, it’s become a place for cultural exchange for everyone, Farah said.
“What makes Minneapolis strong is the amazing cultures that we have across the city,” Farah said. Minnesota is home to the largest population of Somali people in the United States, with the largest concentration in Minneapolis and surrounding communities.
Additionally, the city named July 1 Somali Culture Day in Minneapolis. The festival begins June 29. More details can be found on the Facebook page for Somali Week MN.
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