The International Festival made its return on Jan. 26 after a four-year hiatus because of COVID. The festival featured different cultures from around the world with showcases, booths, and a fashion show. 

Attendees visited booths run by members of various clubs promoting different cultures while enjoying food from around the world donated by IB families in the closed commons as a part of the International Buffet from 6:30 to 7:30pm. 

From 7:30 to 9:00pm, the Cultural Showcase took place which featured performances and fashion shows from various countries. The showcase was emceed by two IB Seniors, Alex Kimball and Cameron Penn. 

The musical showcase kicked off with Delaney Clark Geckle,12, performing the Lithuanian National Anthem on the trumpet. Sophomores Kritsti Sottile and Paige Alley then took the stage with their rendition of “Once Upon a December.”  Augusta McNulty, 11, concluded the Cultural Showcase with a performance on the cello.   The Orchestra Club concluded the first half of the show with their performance of “The Downtown Abbey” theme song. 

During intermission, Kimball and Penn led a which included a very entertaining game of Heads or Tails before the fashion began.  Highlights of the fashion show included Avery Belisle,12, taking to the runway in a traditional Algerian dress, freshmen Abigail Innis and Hailey Hyatt followed in Caribbean clothing, and the French Club modeled French fashion through the decades.

The night concluded with four musical performances.  Razeh Al-Webri, 11, and Ayman Al-Webri, 9,  performed a traditional Yemeni dance, Rayna Benhajlarbi, 11, performed a traditional Tanzanian song, “Omri Ma Nsit,” and Kyle Reeder,12, Nickolas Forest, 9, Katie Lavender, 10, Sofia DeWitt, 11, and Valentin Ebner performed the Kalinka, an iconic Russian dance. Nora Eltuhami, 11, performed “Matalia, a Sudanese Song. Freshmen Abigail Inniss and Hailey Hyatt ended the night with a Caribbean Medley performance.