Wellington 3rd Summer Festival attracts record numbers for sun, fun and celebration

On Saturday 22 April, Wellington College International Shanghai held its third annual Summer Festival, where everyone in the wider Wellington family came together to enjoy themselves for a relaxed afternoon of activities, great food, music and other entertainments. Shanghai gifted us with a beautifully sunny Saturday, which set the perfect backdrop for the day’s festivities. With the field set up and the weather on-side, this year’s festival proved to be an even greater spectacle than the previous two summers. The range of things to see and do has expanded greatly over the past three years, with amusements ranging from the simple welly-wanging and coconut shy, to more elaborate areas for archery, pony rides and even a rock climbing wall. Pupils could even splat their teachers with wet sponges or dunk them in a tank of cold water, which unsurprisingly proved to be a great favourite. Visitors could also get creative in the Art Zone, where they could design their own kite, build impressive LEGO creations or simply enjoy a good book in the shade of the reading corner. The Food and Beverage Zone offered an incredible array of tasty treats, ranging from freshly rolled pizza slices and delicately crunchy Vietnamese spring rolls, to juice bars and hand-scooped ice creams. “What is so special about the Summer Festival is that it allows the entire Wellington community from across Shanghai comes together for an afternoon of enjoyment. The pupils then get to see their parents and teachers all having fun side by side,” explained Mr MacMahon as he toured the various stalls and sampled some of the delicious wares from the festival’s many excellent food and beverage vendors. Mr Shaw echoed this sentiment of how the festival brings people together: “While we frequently get parents and families involved with the school through parents’ evenings, productions and events, the Summer Festival is a chance to do it on a much grander scale. We’re very fortunate that we have the facilities and support from the community to put something like this together, and it’s a fantastic opportunity for everyone to meet up and enjoy themselves in a fun and informal way.” Without a doubt, the main stage dominated everyone’s attention for much of the afternoon, as festival-goers were treated to a great range of musical performances as well as wonderful examples of hugely creative costumes and body art. In the afternoon, group and solo jazz and classical performances gave way to some hard rock, courtesy of Luka (Year 12), Sage (Year 11), Harvey (Year 11) and Zac (Year 11), who make up the band Exothermia and clearly enjoyed their part in the festival, as well as the day itself: “The music stage setup was ideal and we had a lot of fun playing our set. This year still had the same great atmosphere from the previous years, it’s just that there’s a lot more to do and it’s not raining! It’s just a super relaxed and fun day where everyone is having a great time together. Chilled, that’s the right word to use!” Around 1500 people visited the Summer Festival this year, once all the pupils, parents and family members, teachers, vendors, activity specialists and guests are factored in. It is a true delight to see that the Summer Festival continues to go from strength to strength. Let’s hope that the weather is similarly kind next year, since there’s already a bigger and better festival being planned!