CULTURE OF COLUMBUS

Highlighting a vibrant expression of our diverse community

by Natalie Brown design by Carson Embree photos by Alice Pisoni

Since its founding in 1984, the Ethnic Expo has been a celebration of what Columbus is as a community. The Expo is estimated to bring in over 35,000 attendees annually. Visitors to the expo enjoy incredible international food, a global marketplace and continuous entertainment and children’s activities. But this beloved festival on Washington Street wouldn’t have been possible without the generous support and assistance of its volunteers. Sophomore Marcella Brunner discussed her role in the Expo the week before it took place.

“I’m going to be helping make and serve food in the Chinese booth. I’m volunteering alongside some other girls in Chinese 2,” Brunner said. “I’m looking forward to seeing all of the booths while I’m there, and definitely the possibility of being able to cook. I believe we are making a variety of classical Chinese dishes, definitely including dumplings.”

The Ethnic Expo isn’t only a way to celebrate and unite the community; it also serves to foster understanding and inclusion.

“It’s really expanded my view on culture and politics -- though I’ve been interested in China for a long time. It brings a lot of opportunities for friends and experiences. I love being able to share what I learn with

other people who are interested,” Brunner said. Junior Mateo Gamez has been going to the ethnic expo for years, and the memories he made will become just a few of the many the Expo has created. “The first Ethnic Expo that I went to was when I was 10 months old, and I’ve gone every year since. As a child, my mom A crowd of people at the entrance to Ethic Expo. would always get me finger puppets from the Peruvian vendor. I remember that by the end of it, we had at least thirty in the collection,” Gamez said. “I also remember that I would go to the parade with my family and watch the procession pass by. I remember many of them throwing candy and my brother and I would compete to see who could get the most.” Gamez also enjoys the Fiesta Latina, which is organized in the same place. “I went to Fiesta Latina this year, and it was really neat to see the amount of people there. It was nearly twice as full as last year, and you could see people of all ethnicities enjoying Latin culture.”

DID YOU KNOW

Ethnic Expo started in 1984 to show how diverse our city is

The event hosts over 30,000 people annually The vendors at the event represent many different countries selling food and clothing from the culture

A vendor showing a dish they are selling at the Japanese booth