Sign up to cook, volunteer, or attend as students prepare for Sunday’s event.
Mar 24, 2026
The Bar Harbor Story is generously sponsored by Window Panes Home and Garden.
NORTHEAST HARBOR— Rhythm Murawala, a student at Mount Desert Island High School, has never organized an event like the community food-tasting at the Neighborhood House this weekend.
But she’s hopeful.
She hopes people will sign up and attend. She hopes that people—friends and strangers—will come together. She hopes that she’ll raise money for Open Table and people will appreciate cultures while sharing food and laughs and experiences.
“This is my first time organizing an event like this, and it’s definitely been a bit hectic at times, especially with the event coming up soon,” Murawala said of the event, which is being organized by the high school’s Asian Affinity Club. “Not many people have signed up yet, which has been a little stressful, but overall it’s also been really exciting. I’m feeling hopeful and looking forward to seeing it all come together.”
The community food-tasting night is at the Neighborhood House in Northeast Harbor from 1:00–3:00 p.m. on Sunday, March 29.
The event invites participants to sample cuisines from around the world. It’s designed to be fun, inclusive, and deeply connected to our island community.
“The purpose of our multicultural festival is to allow people in our community to showcase their culinary skills and to try foods from other cultures,” classmate Angela Zhang said. “The funds accumulated from this event will be donated to Open Table MDI. The entry fee is ten dollars, and accumulated funds will go towards prizes, event costs, and donations to Open Table.”
The teens’ goals are to bring people together through food while supporting a cause that directly benefits our community and encourages cultural appreciation, strengthens connections, and creates a meaningful shared experience.
Anyone who would like to cook and share a dish can participate for free, while attendees can taste a variety of foods and vote for their favorites using stickers. At the end of the event, a winning dish will receive a small cash prize, and the remaining proceeds will go toward the event costs and then the donation to the local nonprofit OpenTable.
“I decided to organize this event because I wanted to create something that brings people together in a fun and meaningful way. Especially in a close-knit community like ours, it felt important to have an event that encourages connection and shared experiences,” Murawala said.
The event is centered on food for a really defined reason.
“I chose food as the focus because it’s something that connects everyone—it’s almost like a universal language. No matter where people come from, food is a way to share culture, stories, and traditions, which makes it a great way to bring people together,” she said.
They chose Open Table for that same reason.
According to its website, the nonprofit’s mission is to be “a place where neighbors gather. A place where healthy, local food is grown and prepared with care and love and is available to all who come. A place where people linger – reconnecting with old friends and discovering new ones they may never have met otherwise. A place where all people are treated with respect. This is a program with Open Table MDI.”
The organization’s impact on the island community is strong, Murawala said, and that’s why any proceeds raised will go to the organization.
“They provide meals and support to many people locally, and since this event is centered around food, it felt like a really natural and meaningful organization to support,” Murawala said. “We would love for community members to get involved!”
LINKS TO LEARN MORE
Anyone interested in cooking or attending can sign up using the QR code pasted below.
The group’s Instagram account is here.
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What a delightful event… thank you to the members of the Asian Affinity Club for their good work to share cuisine and customs, and for their support of Open Table. I saw familiar faces and met a grad student researcher from the MDI Bio Lab… lots of smiles and good cheer all around!