The annual event Taste of Asia, a showcase of Asian culture hosted by Project Graduation, took place in the Westwood cafeteria on Friday, Mar. 3. Students and parents, as well as attendees outside of the Westwood community, took the opportunity to explore Asian foods and performances while also contributing to the fundraising for Project Graduation.

The cafeteria was decorated with colorful lanterns, cardboard buildings, and painted peacocks. Performances included Asian dance, martial arts, and a fashion show. Guests also visited cultural booths representing China, India, Iran, Japan, Korea, and Taiwan, participating in activities such as henna art. Various restaurants provided food for attendees to enjoy while watching the performances and participating in the raffle and silent auction. Some guests also chose to wear cultural clothing to show pride in their ethnicities.

“I came dressed up because it was a cultural occasion,” Sindhura Sridhar ‘17 said. “[I wanted] to support my friends who are dancing and in the fashion show and singing.”

Performers also aimed to spread awareness about their cultures through dance, music, and martial arts. Organizations represented included school clubs, such as K-pop club, but also outside businesses such as dance and martial arts schools.

“[K-pop Club] wanted to show our Korean pop music because it’s a diverse part of Asia,” Sharon Li ‘17 said. “It’s actually a tradition in the past for K-pop Club to always come here. This year, we got more members, we practiced a lot more, and we were much more organized, so we thought it was a good opportunity to show to more people.”

The event finished with a Bollywood Medley onstage, and as a finale, the dance was opened to all of the seniors.

“[The show is] great for stress relief and it brings together a lot of people,” Anthony Pham ‘19 said. “A lot of the parents and students work hard for this, they put a lot of effort into it, and it’s great, it’s fun for everyone.”