Festival of Cultures
For many, the highlight of the school year is the annual Festival of Cultures held in July, after all examinations have finished. The Festival aims to celebrate the broad diversity of cultures represented in the school community. It also provides students with opportunities to take part in a wide range of activities associated with individual cultures in workshops.
Before 2005, the Festival of Cultures took place during afternoon school, and students attended one workshop. However, the new format of the event sees students have a whole day off timetable, and all students in years seven to ten attend three workshop sessions. Previous workshops have included origami, Bhangra dancing, magic, yoga and pizza making, amongst many more. The 2006 Festival was held on 12 July and included workshops for Hungarian Dance, Opera, Cartoon Drawing, African Dance, Bollywood Film, a visit to a Spanish Restaurant and many more. Prefects and staff supervise individual workshops, whilst Senior Prefects oversee the smooth running of the event as a whole. Senior Prefects also decorate the quadrangle and piazza areas with flags and bunting to add to the festival atmosphere.
The Festival continues into the evening, with current students and their families, staff, old boys, and new students (set to join in September) invited. The evening consists of a programme of entertainment, based largely on the workshops from the day. There are also displays of art work and several food outlets, including a tea shop, a barbecue and the International Food Hall. There are also several stalls, including, for the first time in 2006, a Fair Trade stall.
Read more about this topic: King Edward VI Aston School
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