As Cherry Hill East approaches its 35th annual Multicultural Day (MCD), held this year on Thursday, March 26, cultural club officers are hard at work with booth preparation. Booths are an opportunity for cultural clubs to educate East students about various customs, traditions, food, games, music and more from their respective cultures.
“It is very useful that we have MCD and more specifically the booths to highlight those educational aspects of culture,” said MCD committee president Dan Chen (‘26). “It’s like taking a glimpse into someone else’s culture that you might not [know a lot about].”
This year’s MCD theme is Golden Ages, and thus accordingly serves as an opportunity for East cultural clubs to highlight prosperity and achievement in their cultures. Italian American Club, for example, is planning on depicting the Italian Renaissance and Ancient Roman periods through its booth decor to encourage students to learn more about the eras. The Hispanic Heritage Club, on the other hand, plans to reflect the theme particularly through food, showcasing traditional dishes that use staple ingredients from Latin American countries.
Chen emphasizes the importance of MCD booths as a means to foster cross-cultural understanding — especially given the cultural tapestry encompassing East’s community. With many different immigrants and refugees from diverse countries being a part of East, MCD is especially important for them to see cultural representation.
“I feel very fortunate to have met so many immigrants and refugees through MCD and getting to hear [their] experiences is really rewarding and fascinating,” said Chen.
For students organizing booths, preparation often takes weeks, from designing decorations and planning displays to coordinating food and interactive activities that represent various aspects of their traditions. Many clubs rely heavily on member participation, encouraging club members to bring homemade dishes, create music playlists and organize activities that allow booth visitors to engage more deeply with each culture.
“We’re trying to represent different countries in Latin America since we have a lot of members from different countries in our club. I think there will be Ecuadorian, Dominican, Mexican and Puerto Rican foods… For music, we’ll probably play bachata, cumbia and other styles,” said Hispanic Heritage Club president Hayley Smith (‘26).
Through an environment where students can explore and celebrate other cultures, these cultural clubs hope they can provide greater understanding and appreciation.
“I hope [visitors] remember the energy and friendliness of the culture, and the warmth and willingness to share food, music and traditions with others,” said Smith.
As MCD approaches, cultural clubs continue to work hard to prepare their booths, each with the shared goal of giving students an opportunity to engage directly with the diverse cultures that make up East’s community.
