International Festival Day Success: OFE Showed Up in a BIG Way!
WOW—what an incredible day for our school community! International Festival Day was a true full-family affair, and it would not have been possible without the incredible generosity of our OFE families—especially our country table hosts who poured so much time, heart, and creativity into sharing their cultures. Combined with the many families who came out to experience it all, the support was truly overwhelming.
A few highlights from the day:
30 country tables hosted by OFE families
900+ people estimated throughout the event
500+ passports picked up by our Bobcats
200+ door prize participants — entries earned by collecting 15 country stickers and answering questions in their passports
We were treated to wonderful, educational performances from around the world—from lively Irish dancing to an engaging educational show about animals from around the globe. Our Bobcats also jumped in to learn Gaelic football, danced along during Bollywood, and proudly showed off their rhythm on the drums. The energy, joy, and curiosity filled the room.
From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for making this day so special. With gratitude from the chairs—Sinta Fuhrmann, Sumi Sheth, and Bonnie Yuen—and the incredible families, committee members, and volunteers who gave their time, talents, and connections to make International Festival Day truly spectacular.
The Cultural Connection Committee, launched by the PTA in 2022, celebrates the incredible cultural diversity of our school community.
The committee loves to take opportunities to share about various cultures and languages around the world. Throughout the year, the committee utilizes four bulletin boards around the outside of the library to showcase various countries, languages, holidays, and traditions. Make sure to check out these fantastic corners, surrounding our library!
In addition to the boards, the committee hosts an International Day in the Spring showcasing various countries (so many with tasty bites too!), Bobcat Talent, professional performances, photo opportunities, and a scavenger hunt around the world!
We are fortunate to have families with roots from all over the globe. This initiative offers a wonderful opportunity to introduce our children to new cultures, fostering open minds and deeper connections. We hosted OFE International Day on Saturday, January 24th, 2026.
THANK YOU to our families that represented more than 30 countries, as well as the more than 900 attendees. It was a wonderful day, full of food, culture, excellent talent shows, beautiful traditional attire from around the world and a few fun (some larger), furry friends!
We are so grateful to the Cultural Connections team for their hard work and passion for this event.
This is a beautiful event to share and learn about the diversity of our school, keep growing as global citizens and learn from each other. We look forward to celebrating together in next Spring.
If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to us at cultural@oakforestpta.com and cultural2@oakforestpta.com.
Thank you for helping us make OFE International Day an incredible celebration of our community’s diversity!
