There’s been a dark cloud hanging over Oshawa. But the menacing gray sky seemed to part, if just for a little while, as the city celebrated the kick off of Fiesta Week with hundreds of people packing downtown Oshawa to see the city’s multicultural colours on display in the annual Father’s Day parade.

Until Saturday, Oshawa will be showing its multitude of ethnicities with food and entertainment from around the world offered up at local cultural clubs. It’s been cause to celebrate for the past 36 years and this year, despite economic turmoil, Oshawa residents should keep up the tradition and have fun.

To enjoy Fiesta is not to demean the severity of what’s going on in our local automotive sector but it does give Oshawa residents facing lost jobs and unclear futures reason to exercise their civic pride and celebrate.

The Oshawa Folk Arts Council and cultural and community groups work long and hard to prepare for the weeklong event and residents should honour their hard work by getting out there and taking in all that Fiesta has to offer.

If anything, it shows Oshawa’s resilience and ability to come together as a community, something the city should be proud of. Just look at the recent solidarity march that joined thousands together in Oshawa to protest the closure of the General Motor’s truck plant.

It’s the second time in the course of a few weeks where local labour leaders organized such large numbers to join forces and show strength. It’s that strong civic pride that has built Oshawa and will continue to drive the community as it struggles to cope with international economic change.

Already the future seems brighter with the announcement of the Darlington Nuclear Plant expansion which will offer about 3,500 jobs and bring millions more in tax revenues.

Whether it’s marching to support the manufacturing sector or celebrating the diversity within our community, it’s that camaraderie that makes a city great.