On eve of Folklorama, Ghana pavilion scrambles to replace stolen outfits By: Chris Kitching Posted: 11:09 AM CDT Friday, Jul. 31, 2026 Last Modified: 4:46 PM CDT Friday, Jul. 31, 2026 Updates

Volunteers from Folklorama’s Ghana pavilion scrambled to replace cultural costumes for about 40 young dancers after the outfits were stolen in Winnipeg days before the annual festival begins.

Two plastic storage bins containing the costumes, to be worn by children and teenagers, were taken from the trunk of a parked car on Banning Street, near Notre Dame Avenue in the West End, likely late Wednesday or early Thursday.

“I felt sad that this has happened. I felt completely devastated for the mother who had them in her car,” said pavilion co-ordinator Abigail Larson. “The initial feeling of sadness changed to, ‘OK, how do we make this a positive?’”

The costumes belong to the Ghana Union of Manitoba Dancers, whose members have rehearsed for months for Folklorama, which begins Sunday.

The outfits include about 75 sets of cultural attire and 25 Ghana soccer jerseys and shorts. As word spread, people offered fabric, cash donations to buy fabric, or sewing expertise to help make new outfits for the pavilion’s week-long run.

The outpouring buoyed volunteers’ spirits.

“(Thursday) was very hard, and very sad and disappointing,” pavilion volunteer Jaelynne Wormenor said. “The overwhelming support is amazing. It’s beautiful to see people coming together to help.”

The storage bins, which are black with yellow lids, were taken from one of the Wormenor family’s vehicles. The theft was discovered Thursday and reported to police.

Spokesman Const. Claude Chancy said the incident will be assigned to the property crime unit for investigation.

Wormenor said she doesn’t know how the thief or thieves got into the car and accessed the trunk. Sunglasses and other items were also stolen.

She and others checked back lanes and dumpsters in case the outfits were ditched. She also checked in with some second-hand clothing stores.

Wormenor struggled to understand why someone would take the outfits, which were handmade by people in Ghana or Winnipeg.

“People don’t realize these outfits are very important to all of the kids and the shows,” she said.

Each dancer performs in two or three dances per show. Each dance has a different outfit.

After the theft, the pavilion and Folklorama put out calls on social media for help to locate the costumes and begin making replacements in case the stolen outfits are not found.

Larson said anyone who finds the missing costumes or knows where they are is encouraged to return them.

The pavilion is seeking donations of West African print fabric (about 20 to 30 rolls in six-yard lengths), and volunteers to sew new outfits.

It is also seeking 25 Ghana soccer jerseys and shorts (children’s medium to large or adult small sizes) to borrow or to be donated, and cash donations to purchase additional fabric and materials, if necessary.

The jerseys may be difficult to source, so the pavilion is accepting yellow athletic shirts or T-shirts featuring a Ghana flag, Black Stars logo or similar colours.

The outfits are for eight children aged four to eight, and 20 youth aged 10 to 18.

Volunteers gathered at the pavilion’s host venue, the Notre Dame Recreational Centre at 271 De La Cathedrale Ave. in St. Boniface, Friday afternoon to begin making replacement outfits.

People can otherwise contact the pavilion by emailing coordinator_pavilion@ghanaunionmb.ca if they would like to help.

Larson was equally amazed by the response of Folklorama, other pavilions and associations, and the wider community.

“We’re very thankful for all of the people who want to help,” she said. “The outpouring of support just shows how amazing our city is. The one or two people who can ruin someone’s day is nothing compared to the strangers calling and asking, ‘How can I help?’”

Folklorama executive director Teresa Cotroneo said communities work hard year-round to prepare for and operate the two-week festival’s pavilions.

“When we first found out (about the theft), we definitely understood what that meant for the pavilion and the impact that causes,” she said, while commending the Ghanaian community’s resilience. “Having a large setback like this a few days before opening is a very stressful event.”

Cotroneo was not surprised by Winnipeggers’ response to the theft and the appeal for help.

“I know we have a very strong community. We are here to support the Ghanaian community in any way that we can,” she said.

chris.kitching@freepress.mb.ca