The 30th Annual International Festival 2008

On Saturday, April 26^th, 2008, the Associated Students Multicultural Affairs Council sponsored the 30^th Annual International Festival located at Downtown Plaza in Chico, California. The event began at 11 A.M. and lasted until 6 P.M. This is a cultural celebration event that is free and open to the community. The booths were put on by student organizations or students who wanted to show the community their unique cultures, their country of origins, and foods from their home nations. Music and dances were also performed by different ethnic groups.

Below are student organizations that were there. It will give you an idea of how culturally diverse this event was.

• · Hmong Student Association

• · Southeast Student Association

• · Mein Student Association

• · India

• · Native American

• · Pan-African

• · Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlán (M.E.Ch.A.)

• · Mexico

• · Hawaiian luau

• · Filipino American Student Association

• · Asian Christian Fellowship

Most of the students who represented their countries wore clothes that are traditional to their cultures. Some of them performed dances with their unique traditions clothing. One dance I particularly enjoyed was the Filipino dance. The ladies wore white dresses, and the guys also wore something of similar color, but lesser design. They danced with hopping steps over eight foot bamboo sticks. The crowed loved it. I enjoyed it. Watching these performers giving it their best to their country and culture dancing with bare feet during the hottest time of the day certainly deserve everyone’s applaud. Other music and dances there were being performed during my two hours there were from Spain and Italy.

The foods there were delicious. Almost every booth had foods from their home nations. My personal favorites were the spring-rolls and dough with meat stuffed inside made by the Mein Student Association. I also tried the stuffed chicken wings made by the Hmong Student Association. Unfortunately, my stomach had reached it maximum capacity to digest, otherwise, I would have kept on stuffing myself. At the end of the day though, a decision had to be made as to who has the best and most delicious food. The Sri Lanka booth received the ultimate honor of bragging right for being recognized as having the best food.

It was a great event. The turnout was impressive. It only happens once a year in Chico, so mark your calendar for next year!