The Student Newspaper of Highline College

Akshay Rabadia/THUNDERWORD

Don’t know what to do this weekend? Why don’t you spend some time learning about cultures around the world at ShoWare Center

Giang Pham Staff Reporter Jun 01, 2023

The mission of the Kent International Festival is to highlight the diversity of Kent and the neighboring areas, by bringing people together from many cultures. The theme this year is “Learn from each other.” 

This year’s festival will be held at the accesso ShoWare Center in Kent, Wash., this Saturday, June 3, 2023 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The address for the ShoWare center is: 625 West James Street, Kent, WA 98032.

In 2020 and 2021, the festival was held as a virtual online celebration because of COVID-19, but they were able to return to an in-person festival in 2022. 

Accesso ShoWare Center is North America’s first sports and entertainment arena that obtained gold certification from the US Green Building Council for Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design. 

The compact design and adjustable scale of the accesso ShoWare Center makes it a great venue for a variety of events such as concerts, family shows, professional and exhibition sports, trade exhibits, community gatherings, and more. 

The good news is that you don’t have to pay for entrance tickets, only for vendor booths or for the food trucks. 

Each food truck will introduce flavorful dishes from a foreign country. Last year, for reference, there were dishes from Mexico, Venezuela, Pakistan, and Thailand, to name a few.

There will also be some fascinating activities from booths outdoors and indoors. Highline’s International Students Program used to hold a booth introducing Papuan cultures in previous years.

The International Student Programs office (ISP) at Highline College is the first point of contact for all overseas students. ISP is in charge of worldwide student recruiting, admissions, and retention, collaborating with students throughout their academic program at Highline and beyond. You can visit their office on the fifth floor of Building 25, or schedule a virtual appointment by clicking on the link here: https://international.highline.edu/

Everyone may enjoy the variety of booths offered and can even join the “passport” program activity, where there is an activity to try at each cultural booth. After that, you’ll have your passport stamped and may proceed to the next cultural booth. When you’re through, return your passport to the Kent International Festival passport booth and request a ballot to vote for your favorite booth throughout the event and you may be able to receive a free book. 

The winners will be announced later on the Kent International Festival Facebook page. Click here for information: Kent International Festival Facebook Page.

There are also wonderful performances on stage inside the center. You can inspect the monumental dancers’ outfits along with their delicate movements, which creates an artistic performance that contains the colors of that country’s culture they are representing. Or you can enjoy the divine notes of a saxophone while taking a rest from a long walk.

Besides stage performances, you will also find an art exhibit located in the arena at the Greater Kent Historical Society passport booth and the King County Library booth. The art exhibit includes drawings painted by students from the Kent School District. Attendees can participate in an art activity here as well. 

For more information, you may click here: https://kentinternationalfestival.com/

Tag cloud
Graduation ASHC in-person Pandemic students Basketball Accreditation spring Budget Highline Poetry Enrollment Election Tennis Community COVID-19 Dr. Mosby Golf Vote Library Thanksgiving Social distance ctcLink Arcturus Fall Mental health Reopening Floyd T-Birds MLK Foundation BAT Scholarships Star Trek NWAC Winter Sound Transit Coronavirus Soccer online Zoom Holiday Bookstore Tutors Healthcare