Through music, culture, and a generous helping of samosas, SomFest is becoming a great annual gathering for the Somali community

How do you encourage diverse cultures to see themselves in the parks?

For Somali community advocate Abdi Mukhtar, it all starts with turning up the music and serving up the samosas.

The organizer behind the second annual SomFest event, held August 31 at Lake Harriet, Mukhtar ordered up more than 800 samosas, served up free of charge to more than 500 visitors, while the Lake Harriet Bandshell pulsed to the sounds of the Ambassadors of Culture, a collective of local Somali musicians. 

“Music and food always bring people together,” he says. “And everyone loves samosas.”

Building better relationships–between communities, between parks and parks users–is an important part of Mukhtar’s work with the Minneapolis parks’ Community Connection and Violence Prevention team. “Making sure kids are engaged in positive activities–whether it’s music, or after school activities, or basketball–is one way we can prevent violence in our community,” he says. “But also, safety is about perception, so the more Somali people know about our parks, the more they will feel comfortable.” 

In fact, in many parts of the world, free public parks are an unfamiliar concept. “I think because of the culture and the background of the Somali community, we really don’t have public spaces and parks in Somalia, so they’re not familiar with the way the park system functions,” Mukhtar says. “Even after the Civil War, when many people fled to refugee camps, you don’t have access to recreation and parks. Even if you are in Uganda or Kenya, a lot of the recreation spaces will be places that require money to get in, to take your kids. So having a beautiful space with a lake, gardens, trails—this is a new concept. It’s a new system.”

Paid for, in part, by a grant from the People for Parks Fund, the 2024 SomFest event is just one of the ways the Minneapolis Parks Foundation is working to make sure that diverse communities discover what’s possible through the parks. Mukhtar says that choosing to host the event in a high-profile park like Lake Harriet is an important part of the program. 

“We’re showing the Somali community that these parks are here for anyone to visit. But it’s also a way to introduce this community to Somali culture in a way that’s positive,” he says. “Some people hear only negative stories in the news, and I’ll be honest with you, there were people who asked us why we were at Lake Harriet. The simple answer is that it’s a public place, and it’s beautiful, but we’re also activating the parks in a positive way when we give young people an opportunity where they can be seen and mentored by adults and families.

 “The goal is to show people you don’t need an invitation to the parks. They belong to everyone.” 

Want to support even more community-focused events in our parks? Join us for the Minneapolis Parks Foundation’s Posters for Parks sale on October 19, where proceeds help support our People for Parks Fund. Each year, grantees like SomFest get the chance to make their big ideas for the parks a reality with grants ranging from $1,000 to $10,000. To learn more, and to register, visit: https://mplsparksfoundation.org/posters-for-parks-show/

All images credited to the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board