Ridgewood High School's Asian Festival Benefit Is Sunday

RIDGEWOOD, NJ - A festival benefit to celebrate Asian culture is set for Sunday in Ridgewood.

Students at Ridgewood High School will showcase performances from five cultures at this year's Asian Festival Benefit on Sunday at 4 p.m. in the school's campus center.

Over the past 30 years, the student-led program to celebrate Ridgewood's diverse community has evolved to include traditional and modern art forms representing China, India, Japan, Korea and the Philippines, and has become a cornerstone event at the school.

Over 2,000 students, teachers and staff members are immersed in Asian culture during in-school performances prior to the weekend event, which is being overseen by Momoko Yanagihara, Sungeun Hong, Hakyoung Kim and Steven Cheng.

“The two events represent the best of our tradition of excellence and bring together people of all ages and backgrounds from the community to celebrate the diversity that makes us so wholesome,” said Asian Festival advisor Medha Kirtane.

Kirtane added, the festival “allows students to find new passions and explore their own sense of leadership, self and community through their involvement.”

The week also included a lunch for over 300 staff members prepared by parents from the countries represented in the festival.

All proceeds from the Sunday benefit performance are donated to Doctors Without Borders, a student-selected nonprofit organization that provides medical aid where it is needed most. Since 1971, the organization has treated tens of millions of people, saving lives around the world.

Tickets for the Asian Festival Benefit can be purchased at the door. Entrance for elementary and middle school students is $3; the ticket price for high school students and adults is $5.

For more information on this event, contact Medha Kirtane at mkirtane@ridgewood.k12.nj.us.