The 3^rd annual Chinese Cultural Festival, organized by the Confucius Institute in Chicago (CIC) and Chicago Public Schools (CPS), took place at Whitney Young Magnet High School from 10 am to 2 pm on Saturday, Sept. 24. More than two thousand CPS students, their siblings and parents, and members from the public attended the festival.

Present at the festival’s opening were Mr. Hong Lei, Consul General of the Chinese Consulate General in Chicago, who gave an inspiring speech, Ms. Priscilla Horton, Resident Principal of Whitney Young, who delivered welcome remarks, Dr. Janice Jackson, the Chief Education Officer of CPS, who gave opening remarks, and Mr. Jorge Macias, the Chief Officer of Language & Cultural Education Office and Ms. Fabiola Ginski, the World Language Manager.

Ms. Jane Lu, Director of CIC, introduced the speakers and VIPs.  

CPS students, along with local community performing troupes and well-known Chinese singers, staged a full hour of performances, from dancing, singing, martial arts, poetry recital to the festive lion dance.

More than twenty vendors that have operations related to Chinese culture demonstrated various hands-on/interactive activities, from Mini-Chinese language class, martial arts, acupuncture, use of chopsticks, calligraphy, wei qi (Go), kite making, playing Chinese music instruments, Chinese painting to putting on traditional Chinese clothes for a pose. Participants of each activity not only had fun while learning something about the Chinese culture, but also received awards tickets with which they claimed fun souvenir items.

Volunteer students from Whitney Young catered in Chinese food to make the cultural experience complete.