ART & TRAVEL Students, Faculty Look Back on Winter Festival Memories

By Victoria Culver ’27 Staff Writer

As winter continues, Porter’s students and faculty reflected on their memories of winter festivals celebrated across different cultures. These festivals unite people, spreading joy, togetherness, and cultural diversity during the coldest time of the year.

For faculty member Alexandra London-Thompson, the Quebec City Winter Carnival is a childhood memory that cannot be erased.

“The Quebec City Winter Carnival was magical as a kid: stunning architecture, culinary delights, fun winter activities, mind-blowing ice sculptures, and the creepy, yet charming, Monsieur Bonhomme” she said.

The celebration, with its night time parades, ice canoe races, and extravagant ice palaces, has been a beloved tradition for decades, invigorating the city with people, color, and lights.

Marta Linnéa Rupf ’28, said she celebrates a variety of traditions, including Christmas and New Year’s, Samichlaus and Maslenitsa. Whether it’s the warmth and comfort of Swiss Samichlaus celebrations, the over-the-top parties welcoming the New Year, or the Slavic Maslenitsa tradition, the holidays brought her joy in the winter months.

At Porter’s, the season has its own magic for everyone. When winter comes, these celebrations remind students of the beauty of cultural diversity and the shared joy that unites them even in the coldest winter months. See Youth Activism Page 2