For 27 years, the last Saturday of September has been reserved for a special event that brings several cultures together: the International Festival. The event includes cultural booths, foods, dances, songs, and a wide variety of other acts. Many Bowling Green students attend and even perform at the festival.
Rachana Pasupuleti, a senior, has been performing Bharatanatyam, a South Indian classical dance form, at the International Festival for the last nine years. “Bowling Green is such a diverse community; I think the International Festival helps different aspects of the community come together,” said Pasupuleti. “It’s important to be knowledgeable about other cultures besides your own, and I think the festival is an entertaining way to learn about others.” Her favorite part of the festival is “being able to experience the different cultures, whether it’s through performances, food, or informational booths.”
Each year, the festival has over 200 volunteers that come together to promote and empower their music, culture, food, religion, and diversity without judgement. Christian Butterfield, a junior at BGHS, participated in the German Club booth, which Bowling Green High sponsored. His booth gave out informational pamphlets for adults and provided fun activities for children.
“We have coloring books and schultüte for little kids,” said Butterfield. “Traditionally when little kids enter kindergarten in Germany, they’re given a little cone called a schultüte, and they fill it with boring stuff like school supplies, but also candy, so it’s a fun time.” After his second year of attending the International Festival, Butterfield said, “I think it’s really cool that all of these cultures are coming together, mainly because you don’t get to see most of these cultures a lot of the time.”
The festival gives both students and adults the opportunity to see the world from the perspective of other cultures and religions while also spreading a powerful message about the importance of diversity.
Rachana Pasupuleti, a senior, has been performing Bharatanatyam, a South Indian classical dance form, at the International Festival for the last nine years. “Bowling Green is such a diverse community; I think the International Festival helps different aspects of the community come together,” said Pasupuleti. “It’s important to be knowledgeable about other cultures besides your own, and I think the festival is an entertaining way to learn about others.” Her favorite part of the festival is “being able to experience the different cultures, whether it’s through performances, food, or informational booths.”
Each year, the festival has over 200 volunteers that come together to promote and empower their music, culture, food, religion, and diversity without judgement. Christian Butterfield, a junior at BGHS, participated in the German Club booth, which Bowling Green High sponsored. His booth gave out informational pamphlets for adults and provided fun activities for children.
“We have coloring books and schultüte for little kids,” said Butterfield. “Traditionally when little kids enter kindergarten in Germany, they’re given a little cone called a schultüte, and they fill it with boring stuff like school supplies, but also candy, so it’s a fun time.” After his second year of attending the International Festival, Butterfield said, “I think it’s really cool that all of these cultures are coming together, mainly because you don’t get to see most of these cultures a lot of the time.”
The festival gives both students and adults the opportunity to see the world from the perspective of other cultures and religions while also spreading a powerful message about the importance of diversity.
By Gwen Hatcher