On Friday Oct. 25, Otten Brothers in Long Lake, hosted the 8th annual 2013 International Festival. The festival featured Irish dancing, student-run booths, and information on world cultures.

“Traveling is always a great way to explore the world,” junior Allie Hartlein said. For many currently in school right now, going on a world vacation may not be possible. That is why this event has continued to bring in the big crowds.

Hartlein participated in the festival by not only assisting in running a booth on Ireland, but also dancing.

She is currently a part of Rince Nua Irish Dance Company and taught a beginner Irish dance class through Orono Community Education. “It was the first time for my class to perform,” Hartlein said.

Ireland was one of the many booths that were featured at the festival, along with the Panama booth. Spanish club students who participated in the Panama trip this past summer volunteered to share some of their knowledge.

“The festival brings people together, even if you just come for educational reasons,” junior Lauren Sim said.
Otten Brothers received a large crowd right off the bat. “At 6:05 the parking lot was already full,” Sim said.

Many of the performances attracted viewers and language courses at Orono offered an extra credit opportunity to students who attended, and filled out a small information sheet.

A poll conducted at Orono High School showed an estimated 75 percent of students involved in a language course attended the event.

Connections Academy Blog, a resource website that supports K-12 education, recommends learning about different cultures in a variety of ways.

Orono High School students enrolled in a language program have already checked off one of the above options, and if they attended the International Festival, they can check off another.

Among the booths that showcased world culture, Rotary International Youth Exchange provided a booth for students and families interested in learning more about study abroad options.

Each year Orono High School receives exchange students, and awaits stories from those students who left for a year abroad. Senior Iris Erickson studied abroad in Sweden during her junior year of high school through the Rotary Exchange Program. She volunteered to help at the International Festival and work at the Rotary booth.

“It gives kids a great learning opportunity to understand more about other cultures.” Erickson said.

As it has in past years, the event continued to show its dedication to providing a night of cultural exploration, and student involvement.

“It makes me happy knowing I can give back to Rotary after they’ve given me so much,” Erickson said.