Vibrant dance performances and flavors from around the world filled Friday night. Students and families gathered for the annual Multicultural Night in the quad.
The event featured a lineup of student-led performances from cultural clubs, highlighting different traditions represented on campus.
“It really showcases what we do on campus because the majority of the performances are from student clubs and It just gives our community a sense of belonging,” said Activities Director Rebecca Novinfar.
The night was organized by the Associated Student Body, who coordinated with vendors and student clubs. According to Novinfar, formal planning for this event began in early November.
“It was kind of slow at the beginning and then it picked up around January, where we started reaching out to clubs, putting things together and reaching out to outside vendors,” Novinfar said.
“I’m really proud that a lot of student clubs volunteered to perform and were excited,” Novinfar said.
The evening’s program included performances from the Nicaraguan Club, the Filipino Student Union, the Folklorico Club, the Lion Dancers and Kuumba.
The night offered an excellent representation to students who performed in the event where they teach cultural values and opportunities for others to learn from it.
Sophomore Samantha Galapatay was one of the students who performed, wearing a traditional outfit reflecting the history of the Philippines.
“The best part about sharing it is that we get to have more people know about our culture,” Galapatay said.
For those in the audience, the event offered a chance to experience different traditions through performances with a variety of cultural dishes including Filipino pancit.
Sophomore Charlotte Pablo, an attendee, said she enjoyed watching the performances and seeing the effort students put into them.
She described the event in three words: “Fun, diverse, and festive.”
As the final performers took their bows to a crowd cheering and round of applause, the event proved that these traditions truly resonate with people of all ages.
“I’m very proud of the people who came and showed up,” Novinfar said.
