Oak Knoll students, faculty, staff, and families gathered in the Aileen Maury Dining Hall on Monday, May 11, 2026, to celebrate the school’s third annual Culture Festival.

While the event featured music, dance, and cuisine representing a wide array of global cultures, Director of Community Engagement and Belonging Melissa Miller said the evening represented something even deeper.

“This evening is about more than food, music, and performances. It is about connection,” Miller said. “It is about learning from one another, celebrating both our differences and shared humanity, and creating a deeper sense of belonging within our Oak Knoll community.

“Thank you all for being here tonight as we celebrate the many cultures, traditions, stories, and experiences that make our community so vibrant and special,” she added.

The event included more than a dozen exhibits highlighting cultures, art, crafts, and traditions representing countries including Ecuador, Haiti, Japan, India, Ireland, and many others.

In addition to the exhibits and performances, attendees enjoyed face painting and music from a live DJ, adding to the evening’s lively sense of celebration and community.

Attendees also sampled cuisine from around the world, offering an opportunity to experience and celebrate a variety of cultural traditions through food.

The evening concluded with culturally enriching performances, including Everett Sobers, brother of Ellis Sobers ’29, performing Italian vocal selections, as well as an energetic Hawaiian Hula and Tahitian Ori dance presentation by performers from Anna’s World Entertainment.