The+International+Festival

The International Festival By Kendall Muzzy

Every year, the weekend after Thanksgiving, the Vermont international Festival is held at the Champlain Valley Exposition. On Friday December 2nd, the 24th annual festival will be held and from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm, there will be a special time when schools can attend which is what the Oasis Team will be doing. It will be at least the fifth time that a part of our school has attended, and it has been a happening that has been looked forward to every time. There will be multiple schools attending the event along with them. They will be there for two hours, able to walk around independently, doing crafts and activities, eating food and watching performances. Everyone on team is looking forward to going, describing it as very fun and exciting. “I think the international Festival is a very good way for students to learn and to experience different countries and different cultures.” Says eighth grader Litza Mauck. “It’s also really fun because you can go with your friends and just walk around without teacher supervision.” The International Festival is a celebration of many different cultures coming together where everyone is welcome. Originally an eight day festival of parades, music, foods and crafts, it is now a three day ceremony that has been scaled down to a smaller form. This event happens every year and is a place that many people attend and participate in. Over forty vendors will be at the space, selling goods from around the world. There is always a good turnout when it comes to the number of people attending and you can count on being satisfied. There will be fourteen different merchants this year, selling authentic food from various countries from all over the world. There will be cuisine from the Philippines, Iran, Poland, Tibet, Turkey, Austria and many more places. A few of the foods include baked goods, pierogis, and Indian crepes along with many more choices. Litza explains that “It is food from all over the world, so you can experience different and new kinds of food, it is very good and it is one of the best parts.”

Along with great food, there will also be crafts and all day activities available for the students to participate in. The kiosks, Litza says, are the part of the trip that she most looks forward to. There will be art ranging from Henna design, origami, Japanese calligraphy, and there will be multiple exhibits that are focussed on many cultures such as Asia, Africa and Turkey. The students will be able to visit these displays and learn about different countries and their different traditions. Games will be available to the kids as well as challenges that they will try to complete. For example, there will be a scavenger hunt that the students will have to go to different exhibits to finish. After finishing the hunt, they will be rewarded a prize. They can also watch a variety of dance and music performances such as African drumming and Irish dancing. These performances will be from different cultures from all over the world and they will be happening throughout their trip on three different stages. If you are not on Oasis team, you can still go and take part in the activities. The Festival is open to the public Friday, December 2nd, from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm, Saturday, December 3rd, from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm, and on Sunday, December 4th, from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. If you would like to join the celebration, you can gain admission for $7.00 and spend as long as you would like there.