Matt Aukamp, Communitarian Staff Writer

(Nov. 3) DCCC will celebrate cultural diversity on Nov. 17 with its 26th Annual Multicultural Festival from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Cafeteria in Founders Hall, Marple Campus. It is the first time in three years the festival will be held in person with food, music, and information from various ethnic and cultural traditions.

The Multicultural Festival is a celebration of the many diverse cultures at DCCC and has been running since 1996. Allyson Gleason, the Director of Athletic & Campus Engagement who has worked with the festival since 2014, hopes it will open up conversations about culture and heritage between students. 

“What I find most valuable (about the festival) is the excitement of the students to share a heritage or a culture that’s important to them,” said Gleason. 

Each booth will focus on an individual country or ethnic heritage featuring art, crafts, games, maps, and other information about that culture. This year’s festival hopes to feature 10 booths, each hosted by a club or office at DCCC. 

Foods from around the world will be available, representing each of the cultures featured at the event. The event will be catered by the Campus Dining Service, with dishes suggested by each of the groups. Portions are kept small, and all dietary restrictions are considered so that guests can enjoy the full spectrum of what the festival has to offer. 

Gleason said, “We want to honor our students’ requests, while making sure we have something for everyone to enjoy.”