Guy Lee Elementary to host free AANHPI Heritage Celebration Friday
Guy Lee Elementary will turn its Springfield campus into a free evening of AANHPI food, music and family activities Friday, with lion dancers, taiko and lei making.
Guy Lee Elementary will turn its campus at 755 Harlow Rd. in Springfield into a free community gathering Friday evening, as the fourth annual AANHPI Heritage Celebration opens the school to families from across Springfield and Lane County from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
The event is built around performances that bring the cultures being honored to the center of the school grounds. The lineup includes Phi Long Lion Dancers, Eugene Taiko, Waka Daiko, Talavou Pacific Arts Dance Academy and Hula Halau O Ke Alaula, giving visitors a mix of dragon and lion dance, drumming and Pacific Islander dance in one place. Families will also find hands-on activities including Hawaiian lei making, calligraphy and henna, which should make the evening especially appealing to children moving between stations with parents and caregivers.
Food will be another major draw. Vendors scheduled to take part include Bobablastic, Jing-Jing's Filipino Cuisine, OG Poke, Chaiyo Thai Food Truck, Kona Ice, T-Swirl Crepe, The Taste of India, Kento's Hibachi on Wheels and Royal's Samoan BBQ. The event will serve food on reusable dishware provided by Waste Wise Lane County, a small but notable local sustainability touch that replaces disposable plates, forks and cups with sanitized durable dishware and refill stations.
The celebration is supported in part by a Heritage Arts Grant from the Springfield Arts Commission and a grant from the Asian American Council of Oregon. The council says its mission is to create opportunities that foster friendship and harmonious relations among all people by building understanding of Asian and Asian-American cultures, a goal that fits the evening’s emphasis on performance, food and direct cultural exchange. The Eugene Cascades & Coast listing for the event also includes a Safe Routes to School bike activity, widening the event beyond the stage and food trucks.
Guy Lee’s school community has framed the celebration as part of a larger effort to keep families connected to the campus. The school’s PTO says it exists to support and keep students and families informed, connected and involved, and Springfield Public Schools describes Guy Lee’s dual immersion program as one that promotes bilingualism, biliteracy, academic achievement in English and Spanish, and socio-cultural competence. That mix of language learning, family participation and public celebration has made Guy Lee a natural fit for a neighborhood event that is as much about visibility and belonging as it is about entertainment.
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