On January 6, Townsend Harris High School hosted the Asian Culture Festival, a celebration of the diverse Asian cultures represented within the school community. The event was organized by a collaboration of school clubs, including the Pacific Culture Club, Korean Culture Club, Chinese Culture Club, South Asian Student Association, Anime Club, Rhythm K-pop Dance Club, and Bollywood Dance Team.

The inspiration for the new Asian Culture Festival came from a successful joint bake sale held last year by the Korean Culture Club and the Chinese Culture Club.

“I thought doing something similar on a larger scale would be good for all the clubs and groups involved,” said senior Stella Cho.

The festival spanned across the auditorium, gymnasium, and cafeteria, each holding different attractions or services. In the auditorium, students performed traditional dances and music in both solo and group acts. One of the performers, sophomore Aurelia Liu said, “I had a really fun time being able to come together with my friends to perform on stage. Every moment will be memorable to me.”

The gym was set up with various games for attendees to enjoy, including traditional Asian games such as painting fans and kicking shuttlecocks. These games allowed attendees to learn more about and experience different aspects of Asian culture.

The festival was not only a celebration, but also proved to be a successful fundraiser for the participating clubs. The cafeteria’s rows of bake sales provided an opportunity for attendees to try out new foods and support the various represented clubs.

Freshman Philip Dancel said, “It was really great trying different Asian foods, and seeing the performances at the end. As one of the people selling food, it was a great experience.”

Aurelia said, “If the Asian Cultural Festival continues next year, I would definitely recommend it to those who have an interest in dance and performing, as well as those who want to step out of their comfort zone and pull off an amazing show.”