This summer, while working on an entry for the China blog, I got to thinking about my heritage and found myself writing these words: “We didn’t talk like most people in Baltimore, where I grew up. With grandparents from Ohio, Illinois, Kansas/Colorado and upstate New York, my linguistic lineage was decidedly Midwestern, home of standard broadcast American English - our version of Putōnghuà”

And that led me to thinking about what MY booth at the MPA Cultural Fair would look like. What, for that matter, do we actually mean by culture? (“The skills, arts, etc. of a given people in a given period.” - Webster’s New World Dictionary)

If you’ve read this far and are at all intrigued about presenting your own booth at the Cultural Fair, I want to urge you to sign up today. Or, at the very least, make plans to bring family and friends to visit the school sometime between 5:00 - 8:00 p.m. next Friday, October 6.

According to senior Patty Dana, one of the fourth annual event’s student organizers, “the Cultural Fair brings together musicians, performers, artists, cultural booths, and ethnic food for the entire community to enjoy. It serves as a way to build bridges and create emotional and cultural ties which increase global understanding and appreciation inside of us all.”

“I love the food!” says Aaron Cheng, also a senior and member of MOSAIC, the student organization that serves as the main planning group.

Although much of the preparation is done by the students within Mosaic, “we are always looking to include others and are extremely grateful for the support we have received over the years,” says Patty. “If you are looking for a way to become involved in this fair, it is not too late! Volunteers of all ages are welcome for a variety of tasks including driving to pick up food donations, setting up decorations, welcoming and introducing performers, and helping in the kitchen. We can always use a helping hand!”

Or you can take the plunge and really show the community a part of your own cultural background with a booth. If you are at all inclined to do so, MOSAIC student organizers are ready to help you plan. “Hosting a booth,” says Patty, “is one of the best ways for you to share something about your life with others around you. In the past, booths have included maps or photographs from a country, activities or explanations of traditions within a culture, or stories. We are open to anything you want to present, and would be happy to arrange whatever is necessary to fit your specific needs.”

“The Cultural fair is definitely a family event,” writes Lower School Director Nansee Greeley. “It is a wonderful way for families to work together to come up with a booth that exhibits their heritage or a place they have lived or traveled to in the past. It is also a great way for families to explore and learn together. It has become a night not to be missed!”

“Our family loves the Cultural Fair at MPA,” writes MPA parent and new Board member Liz Jansen LeMire. “My kids always enjoy exploring the diverse array of foods, clothing, music, art and writing, and, of course, seeing their friends in this different setting. The Fair is a great way to celebrate the many cultures that make up our school community and to take a fun trip around the world in one night!”

“Cultural Fair is a great way to connect kids of all ages,” says senior Hannah Turpin. “It is awesome to see diversity celebrated so enthusiastically by so many generations.” Sophomore Andrew Bendelsmith writes,” the Cultural Fair is important because it allows students and their families to learn about and experience other cultures, through entertainment, ethnic food, and interactive and informational booths.”

Senior Maria VanVreede writes: “Other cultures have a wide variety of beautiful and mysterious traditions and objects, and I find that the Cultural Fair is a way to experience these things…. All people will never be the same, and if we were to be the same, life would be so terribly boring.”

“MPA's Cultural Fair offers us a chance to interact with the wide variety of people in our own community and realize the depth of culture we have at our school,” says MPA Board Chair and parent Nancy Misra. “It's a chance to experience the arts, history, clothes, traditions, and games that people around us hold dear and that we may not otherwise be aware of. The food, of course, is always a plus!”

So whatever your heritage, whether you create a booth, volunteer to help, or just show up as one of the many MPA community members who will enjoy this year’s Cultural Fair, don’t miss it!

( To find out more about creating a booth or signing up for volunteer activities, contact Patty Dana at pdana07@moundsparkacademy.org )