A Celebration of Culture and Community at CDS:
The AAPI Street Festival
As the school year came to a close, the Carrollwood Day School community gathered one final time for a beloved tradition that has become a hallmark of campus life: the CDS International Street Festival. This year’s Asian American and Pacific Islander Festival transformed the campus into a vibrant celebration of culture, connection, and student creativity, inviting families, students, and faculty to experience the rich traditions and heritage of Asian American and Pacific Islander communities through hands-on activities, performances, and food from across the region.
What made this festival especially meaningful was the strong sense of student leadership woven throughout the event. With the vision of creating a more student-centered experience, students in the Upper School Entrepreneurship Class took the lead in planning and running many of the festival booths that lined Character Courtyard. The Indian Culture Club also played a major role in bringing the evening to life, organizing several interactive experiences and leading dance lessons that quickly drew in students of all ages.
Across the festival, students explored cultures in hands-on and memorable ways as they gathered around a traditional carrom board table, learned the fast-paced Filipino table game Moopok, and tried coconut bowling inspired by Thailand. Others stopped to create origami, receive henna tattoos, learn cricket and traditional dances from India, explore cultural tattoos from Hawaii and American Samoa, or participate in karate lessons led by instructors from Ingrams Karate. Every corner of the festival offered something new to discover.
The festival also gave students the opportunity to experience cultures through taste and tradition. Tables featured samosas and mango lassi from India, candies from Thailand, Indonesia, and Japan, as well as displays of Chinese currency and cultural artifacts from across Asia and the Pacific Islands. Upper School students proudly shared the meaning behind each activity and invited younger students to participate, creating moments of connection and curiosity throughout the morning.
More than just entertainment, the AAPI Festival reflected the heart of CDS. It was an opportunity for students to celebrate their cultures, learn from one another, and create experiences that brought the community together. As the final street festival of the school year, it ended the season the same way it began: with joy, belonging, and the shared understanding that learning extends far beyond the classroom walls.
To view photos of the event, click HERE.