By Tyanna Bui
The announcement of the second annual Cultural Fair was exciting for all students – until it was discovered the fair would fall on Friday, March 22, the Friday of Lent of when Catholics are not allowed to consume meat.
Every year, the Catholic religion celebrates Lent by giving up a bad habit in daily life or adding something to improve it for 40 days preceding Easter. Catholics give up meat every Friday for several different reasons.
For those who celebrate Lent, food choices are limited because a majority of the clubs participating in this event will be selling meat dishes.
Why is the Cultural Fair occurring in March as opposed to after spring break?
“Unfortunately, it was the only convenient Friday since lots of people leave the day before spring break and after we have Baron Games after spring break,” stated ASB member Sarina Dayal (’13).
April also will be busy for students who will be studying for the upcoming AP exams, with the FNL Talent Show taking place the Friday after Baron Games.
Though Catholics who participate in Lent won’t be given as much opportunity to eat from every stand, the school is blessed to have this event due to the recent extinction of the tradition of International Week. The truth is that FVHS is one of the only schools in the district that still allows the presence of this tradition.
“There will still be a wide variety of foods and entertainment that it should still be a fun time,” Dayal said.
Even though Cultural Fair lands on a meatless Friday for Catholics, doesn’t mean that people won’t have a good time. It just means that students have to make the best of the situation, with or without meat.
At least some clubs will be catering to both Catholics that are doing Lent and Muslims that can’t eat the meat unless it’s Halal by selling vegetarian options.