The Molly Shi Boren Ballroom was buzzing Friday night, not with ghosts, goblins or ghouls, but with foreigners, food and fun.

The International Advisory Committee hosted the International Bazaar, which allowed 26 international student associations to display national pride and trade items like flags, posters, statues, masks, instruments and a plethora of other souvenirs and cultural displays. Close to 1,000 people attended the Bazaar, but only a handful of American students were present.

The theme of the event was “A crossroads of cultures: finding common ground,” said Lauren Ballinger, IAC special events chair and international studies and French senior, and dance music from around the world filled the ballroom as students from many countries danced, socialized and shared their cultural history with one another.

“[The International Bazaar] is amazing because you can see different cultures, learn about each of them: the way they dress, their music, and customs,” petroleum engineering sophomore Gerson Montez said.

Montez is an international student from Angola and a member of the African Student Association. At the Bazaar he wore his countries traditional dress — a brightly decorated, loose fitting, matching shirt, pants and hat.

In addition to allowing the international organizations to mingle among cultures, the event was also a chance for them to raise money for their individual cultural nights and for charity, Ballinger said.

Last year the International Programs Center at OU was named one of UNICEF’s “Emissary Schools,” because it raised $5,300 in a Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF campaign.

The bazaar contributed to this year’s drive by placing a orange “Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF” donation box at each table.

Some students embraced the Halloween spirit, and dressed up as UNICEF boxes, encouraging students to attend the bazaar.

“We’re all very involved with raising Trick-or-Treat money for UNICEF,” Ballinger said. “It means a lot to [the international students] because the UNICEF money could be going to their countries back home.”

The Bazaar also included cultural performances by student groups from several different countries, including Japan, Nepal, France, the Latin Dance Club and the Arab Student Association.

Lunch was also served at the event, but the lack of ethnic choices disappointed some.

“The food was tasty … But unfortunately they only had one dish,” Montez said. “I was expecting to have some more choices, instead of it being from just one country.”

The lack of variety in dishes didn’t deter Montez and other students from enjoying themselves. Many said they would attend next year’s bazaar.

Around 300 meal tickets were purchased and an estimated 1,000 people attended the bazaar, Ballinger said.

“When I studied abroad I would have liked to have had events like this,” said Sarah Schmeltz, Psychology Senior, who studied in Chile. “OU seems like a really nice school to study abroad at.”

Meghan Perdue, International Area Studies Senior, agreed that an event like Friday’s bazaar would have helped her fit in when she studied abroad in Spain.

“All the international students I’ve met so far this year have lots of friends and lots of things to do,” Perdue said. “It’s nice they have that, when I studied abroad I didn’t.”