The holiday season is quickly approaching, and with it comes a diverse array of cultural events, holiday festivities and seasonal celebrations. One of the season’s many enriching events is the Jewish Cultural Festival, hosted for the first time by the Town of Cary, The Jewish Federation of Raleigh-Cary, Beth Shalom and the Chabad of Cary.

Not Jewish? It doesn’t matter! All visitors are welcome to join in on the festivities. Enjoy tasting traditional Jewish foods and trying your hand at crafts, such as clay dreidel-making and candle-dipping. There will be educational displays, a living wax museum and an artistic nine-foot Menorah to take in as you tap your feet to the tunes of live entertainment. There will also be lots of hands-on activities for the children, so take the opportunity to make this festival a family event.

This event takes place on the first night of Hannukkah, Dec. 20th, so make sure to stick around for the 6:45 p.m. traditional lighting of the Menorah and the 7:30 p.m. performance by nationally recognized musician Dan Nichols. With all of the diverse holiday celebrations going on, now is the perfect time to learn about other cultures and to share your culture with others. Whether you’re exploring, participating or somewhere in between, the Jewish Cultural Festival is a great event to put you in holiday spirits.