“Bobateeno Milk Tea Day” was celebrated in front of Cupertino City Hall on August 17 (last Sunday) with more than 30 youth organizations setting up booths, attracting numerous parents to come with their children. The event was a huge success, drawing a continuous crowd and creating a lively atmosphere.
Organized by the Cupertino city government, Able2Shine, and the organization “Truly Love Taiwan,” the event was themed “Youth Club Day.” In addition to serving free milk tea, the youth brought various performances such as singing, Mongolian bowl dance, hip-hop dance, story sharing, riddles, and designed interactive games. Parents and children sat around the square, watching the performances while enthusiastically applauding.
Mayor Zhao Liangfang stated in her speech that Bobateeno was initiated by the city’s Youth Council but was interrupted due to the COVID-19 pandemic, now making a grand return with community collaboration. She expressed gratitude to the partners and organizations that made the event even more spectacular.
Chen Hui, head of “Truly Love Taiwan,” shared with Dajiyuan that Cupertino is known as the birthplace of chain milk tea shops, earning the nickname “Boba City.” By combining youth organizations, they created “Bobateeno.”
She thanked several Taiwanese milk tea shops for their enthusiastic participation, including Chun Shui Tang Tea Room TP TEA, Mr. Sun, Wanbo, and Duanchunzhen, who collectively donated over 140 cups of free milk tea.
At the event, various high school clubs showcased their creativity. Emma Koch from the all-female robotics team expressed their participation in VEX Robotics competition, aiming to inspire more girls to engage in robotics and STEM fields. She believed the event brought the community together, showcased students’ learning achievements, promoted mutual interaction, and was meaningful.
Xara Aman from the Truly Fresh team introduced a platform that assists residents in donating excess backyard fruits. By filling out a form online, volunteers would collect the fruits and donate them to charity organizations, while earning points through the app to redeem prizes.
Furthermore, a bicycle advocacy group promoted commuting by bike and offered free volunteer repair services. Another booth showcased California native plants, introducing children to natural ecology through workshops.
Residents Lin Xiuchun and her husband Yang Zhichao, who attended with their children, commented, “Almost every booth was set up by high school students’ nonprofit organizations, all aiming to make Cupertino and the community better. It is impressive and interesting to see children autonomously conceive, plan, and promote their initiatives.”
A young attendee mentioned that the event brought together many young people, leading to his discovery of the city’s bicycle advocacy promoted by the government, finding it fascinating. He jokingly added that although he expected more milk tea, he realized he couldn’t drink that much anyway.
Popular Cupertino milk tea brand TP Tea also showed their support at the event. Employee Shumi Wu expressed his joy in working at a milk tea shop since childhood and participating in community activities.
Not only did they provide free drinks to event staff, but they also took the opportunity to promote their brand and give back to the community.
American Girl Scout member Alina Tie assisted in creating the Bobateeno website and Instagram, as well as designing promotional posters for the event. She believed that such activities not only helped nonprofit organizations promote their causes but also allowed everyone to enjoy performances, free milk tea, and games, making it a very meaningful community event. ◇