El Cajon, California -- East County's burgeoning Chaldean population will stage its first cultural festival in El Cajon next weekend.

The Chaldean-American Association and the city of El Cajon are sponsoring the Sept. 4-5 event at Prescott Promenade downtown and the nearby Ronald Reagan Community Center, 195 E. Douglas Ave.

The festival will include folk dances, ethnic food and an art and cultural exhibition. It will run from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 4, and from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 5.

Many Chaldeans are Iraqi refugees who have fled the war-torn Middle East in recent years. The growth of the immigrant population in East County has strained social service and law enforcement agencies in the region.

Chaldean religious and business leaders this summer are stepping up efforts to educate others about the culture, concerned that misconceptions about the refugees persist.

By Steve Schmidt
www.signonsandiego.com