Sophie Chiang ‘23
You might be thinking, isn’t the cultural festival not until next year? Well, it is! But what’s coming up in December is an exciting event new to St. Mark’s this year, and it’s our school’s Cultural Carnival.
The Cultural Carnival is a blend of games, music, and food from a variety of different cultures, all brought together by a sense of community. Unlike the Cultural Festival, the Cultural Carvinal has a focus on games. Each student-led table will represent a different cultural game, including Mahjong, Mancala, Loteria, Gonggi, Game 3-2, Parcheesi, and Do Di Zhu. Every table will have someone walk you through the rules of the game, and there will also be cards at each table describing the game’s history, rules, and other fascinating facts. Ingrid Yeung ‘23 is most excited to be teaching people about Do Di Zhu, a strategic Chinese card game. For some, the highlight will be the Pinata filled with candy! Louise He ‘23, a pathways prefect, is most grateful for all the help from the students who are volunteering at the tables. She can’t wait to see their planning come to life.
The popular game Mancala.
Although these games are the stars of the show, rest assured that there will still be delicious food. Cultural food such as Sfogliatella, Pastelitos, Tostones, Samosa, and Flan will be served at each table for you to snack on as you listen to the student-curated playlist full of fan-favorites from BLACKPINK to Sebastian Yatra to Kali Uchis. You can request your own favorite songs here! Cultural Carnival Music Request Form
The Pathways Program credits Darius Wagner ‘23, a pathways prefect ‘21-22, for this brilliant idea. Show up to the Cultural Carnival in December for a chance to celebrate the diversity that cultivates the vibrant community on campus– and not just for the food.