Last Thursday, September 25th College of the Sequoias (COS) hosted its 38th annual Multicultural Fair! The Extended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOPS) set up the fair and was the actual host for this event. There was beautiful cultural decoration, and tables set up with flags to represent other cultures. Different booths were set up to inform people about the various cultures included in the event and vendors selling cultural clothing and other artifacts. Along with this, vendors sold food. Though most food options required students to pay, there was one free eggroll given to students and staff who wanted one. There were food trucks and even booths that sold cultural food. The food ranged from Filipino to Jamaican, and some cultural dishes included tacos, pasta, sushi, and more. 

Not only was there delicious cultural food but also stunning cultural performances. Many students performed their cultural traditions, dances, and so much more. One of the groups to perform was the Lahu community, they performed a cultural dance that was done during the Lahu New Year and played a traditional Lahu flute. The Lahu New Year lasts around 5 days and has up to 80 cultural dances. This was mentioned before the performance by one of the performers. 

Rey Tapia attended this event and his experience was wonderful, Tapia stated “My favorite among the performances was the mariachi band who performed several songs. I felt in awe seeing the skill and abilities the band possessed.” The mariachi band was composed of five men. Two violinists, one trumpet player, a handheld bassist, and a guitarist. They performed many different types of songs, all beautiful and resonating with their culture. The mariachi band performed for quite a long time in the hot sun but gave a beautiful performance, truly displaying their love and dedication to their culture. The Muli-Cultural Festival for COS had another successful year, many people engaged in it and enjoyed it. If you cannot attend this year, attend next year!