Carson to celebrate its rich ethnic diversity in 18th annual fair.

Even in its earliest days, Carson was something of a melting pot. Originally settled by Spanish and Mexican ranchers, the area later attracted a variety of Americans as well as Asians and South Sea islanders.

More than 18 years ago, the city decided to hold a festival celebrating its diverse cultural heritage.

African-Americans, American Indians, Mexican-Americans, Filipinos, Samoans and Tongans were among groups that had booths at the first Carson Cultural Fair.

“We wanted to do something to bring all of the cultures in the city together” to foster understanding, said Iva Voldase, president of the Carson Black Heritage Assn., who helped put on the first fair.

The event grew over the years as it moved from its first location--a school--to various city parks. It finally settled at the Carson Mall, where the 18th annual fair opens tonight for a three-day run.

More than 20 cultures--from the United States, Africa, Latin America, the South Pacific, Europe and the Middle East--will be represented at booths decorated in various national colors. Artisans will demonstrate woodworking, needle crafts and other native arts at the booths, which also will display artworks and cultural artifacts and offer food samples to visitors.

Entertainment--including Middle Eastern belly-dancing and Guamanian storytelling in dance--will be presented every half-hour on a stage on the mall concourse in front of J. C. Penney. Opening ceremonies also will take place there tonight at 6:30, spotlighting adults and children dressed in costumes of their homelands.

Everything at the fair is free, including the food, which will be sampled at 1:45 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Delicacies include American apple pie, West African ground nut soup, Hawaiian coconut pudding, lemon- and soy-flavored steak from Guam and sweet potato pie made from a recipe by Mary McLeod Bethune, an American educator and black leader during the 1930s and ‘40s. Recipes will be available.

“You feel like you are in these countries for a while,” said Mary Salas, who moved to Carson from Guam in 1964 and serves on the city Fine Arts and Historical Commission. “The cultures are very proud to really show off. We are in the U.S., a rich country, but we are proud to show where we were at before.”

Joan Reiner, who is supervising the festival for the city, said the family-oriented fair usually attracts up to 5,000 people. And it is one of the mall’s major events of the year, according to marketing director Sharron King.

The theme of this year’s fair is Peace on Earth, and some of those involved in the fair think that Carson--where the world seems to congregate in one city--already is showing the way.

“We as a city should be very proud because we live in harmony. We show how wonderful it is for these cultures to get along with each other,” said Julie Raber, whose background is Lebanese. Her belly-dance group will perform at the fair.

Said Salas: “If people can get along, it will be a nice world. Carson can say to the whole world, ‘We can do it.’ ”

What: Carson cultural fair.

When: Today, 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.; Sat., noon to 7 p.m.; Sun., noon to 5 p.m.

Where: Carson Mall, Avalon Boulevard and the San Diego Freeway, Carson.

Admission: Free.

Information: 835-0212, Ext. 239.