GREENFIELD — For two seniors at Greenfield High School, the annual Taste of World Cultures event has been a part of their lives for as long as they can remember.

“I’ve been coming here since I was born,” recounted Cassie Cloutier, whose twin, Josie, is also graduating this year. “I love the dancing and the music and everybody coming together.”

For 27 years, their mother, Spanish teacher Tara Cloutier, has been organizing the celebration, which takes place each year during National World Language Month. The event, which now welcomes hundreds of guests and features food from around the world and performances by students and community organizations alike, began as a much smaller celebration in the cafeteria at Greenfield Middle School. On Wednesday, it was held in Greenfield High School’s gymnasium, having outgrown its most recent location in the cafeteria.

“This really gets our families here,” Tara Cloutier commented. “Families that don’t always come to other events come to this one.”

Taste of World Cultures is also an opportunity for people to experience cultures that aren’t their own, she added.

“That’s a big part of it,” Tara Cloutier said. “Our students are proud of their culture and we’re proud to celebrate it. Celebrating culture is important to us.”

On a personal level, she said, it was emotional to know this Taste of World Cultures event would be the last that her daughters — who have been attending with her since before they started school — would go to as students.

“A lot of these kids have been coming since eighth grade,” she said. “When you’re seniors, you get to be the leaders of it, choosing the songs and choosing the dances.”

Students from Greenfield High School performed songs in Spanish and French, after which there were performances by the Duffy Academy of Irish Dance and the Orphanage Movement Dance Team. Dinner and dessert were provided by 20 Greenfield businesses.

For seniors Cassie Cloutier and Brielle Widelo, the highlight of the event is the fashion show at the end.

“Taste of World Cultures Day brings our community and the Greenfield community together,” Widelo said. “It’s always fun. Coming back from COVID, it’s great to be back in person like we were last year.”

“It’s just a lot of fun to have everybody in one place at one time,” Cassie Cloutier agreed. “It’s an event people actually come together for.”

Reporter Mary Byrne can be reached at mbyrne@recorder.com or 413-930-4429. Twitter: @MaryEByrne.

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