(Photo by Amber Phipps) Performers with The Ohio Samul Nori Group present a Korean Percussion Performance at Marietta College’s annual Multicultural Festival Saturday.

Nearly 400 people attended Marietta College’s annual Multicultural Festival at the Gathering Place Saturday evening.

The aroma of the room was filled with the scent of warm, freshly cooked meals as the performers displayed their skills. The taekwondo artists punched and kicked through wooden boards while drummers pounded to an exhilarating beat that echoed through the walls.

Put on by Marietta College’s Office of Student Connections and Outreach, the event provided an opportunity for the community to learn about a variety of cultures as well as celebrate their own. Guests could enjoy food provided by various eateries in Marietta.

“I just think this is such a great event, especially for international students and people who want to learn more about different cultures,” said Marietta College sophomore student Oliva Emery. “I think it really brings people together.”

Emery has been attending the festival for two years now and is the Marketing Director of the Multicultural Club. She said she is also the vice president of the programming board.

(Photo by Amber Phipps) Students with the Ohio Valley Taekwondo Academy perform a maneuver at Marietta College’s annual Multicultural Festival Saturday.

“This is definitely one of our bigger events here on campus and I think it’s so great,” she said. “I’m lucky to be part of planning it.”

Guests could enjoy live performances from Allegro Dance, Kanae Yoshida, Natyapriya Indian Classical Dance School, the Ohio Valley Taekwondo Academy, the Ohio Samul Nori Group, the Wayward Dancers and Lawrence Greene from Ugata Drum and Dance.

Marietta College President Kathleen Dougherty said her favorite part about the event is how it’s entirely run by the students.

“We provide the support behind the scenes but they secure the performers, arrange the food, get the volunteers and make sure all of the advertising happens,” said Dougherty.

The event has been put on for about ten years and she attended before she was president. One of her favorite events at the festival are the dance performers.

(Photo by Amber Phipps) A student with the Ohio Valley Taekwondo Academy kicks a wooden board for the audience at Marietta College’s annual Multicultural Festival Saturday.

“I always love the dancing,” she said. “I’m always amazed at the number and the variety of the performers the students manage to bring in.”

Dougherty said she loves the food and seeing the children dance and clap at each performance.

Marietta College’s Associate Dean of Students and Director of Student Connections and Outreach Tony Mayle said this was his sixth year attending and helping at the festival.

“The first couple of years it was combined with the Lunar New Year celebration,” he said. “But my student group, the multicultural club, decided to separate those events.”

He said the event was made possible by the students, campus employees and community members. He said there were about 12 different countries represented at the festival.

(Photo by Amber Phipps) An Ohio Valley Taekwondo Academy student tosses a wooden board into the air and performs a punch at Marietta College’s annual Multicultural Festival Saturday.

Mayle congratulated the taekwondo artists as they completed their routine.

“We couldn’t do this without our students,” he said.

Mayle thanked all of the organizations and people who make the festival a success.

(Photo by Amber Phipps) Performers with The Ohio Samul Nori Group present a Korean Percussion Performance at Marietta College’s annual Multicultural Festival Saturday.

(Photo by Amber Phipps) Performers with The Ohio Samul Nori Group present a Korean Percussion Performance at Marietta College’s annual Multicultural Festival Saturday.

(Photo by Amber Phipps) German-inspired foods available for guests at Marietta College’s annual Multicultural Festival Saturday.