WITH MORE THAN 30 booths offering knowledge and culinary delights, this year's Uni High Cultural Fair was a huge success. Held on Friday, Oct. 12, inside Uni Gym and outside on a closed-off Stoughton Street, the fair lasted two hours and drew hundreds of participants — not just Uni students and faculty, but parents, members of the University of Illinois community, and local residents who wanted to share insights into their own cultures.

For many, the highlight of the fair came when West African dancer Djibril Camara coaxed scores of fairgoers to get out on Stoughton and move to the rhythms of African drumming. Another highlight was a demonstration of capoeira, the Brazilian martial arts dance.

Through it all, Gargoyle staffers Katherine Allen and Anna Gooler were photographing and interviewing participants for an audio slideshow, while Gargoyle reporters Lauren Piester and Sindha Agha were taping the fair for a video. Look for the slideshow and video soon. In the meantime, check out a sample of our photo coverage of the event. Part 1 looks at what happened inside Uni Gym. Part 2 will venture outside.

Gargoyle photos by Katherine Allen & Anna Gooler

Before the fair. (click to enlarge)

---

Getting a booth ready inside Uni Gym. (click to enlarge)

---

This year's theme: "From Inequity to Social Justice: Developing a Uni-Vision." (click to enlarge)

---

The winning entries in the fair's poster contest. First place went to junior Alan Liang. (click to enlarge)

---

Preparing the China booth. (click to enlarge)

---

Clothing on display. (click to enlarge)

---

Checking out the Venezuela booth. (click to enlarge)

---

Answering questions about Chinese culture. (click to enlarge)

---

Treats of Bulgaria. (click to enlarge)

---

Culture and foods of Puerto Rico. (click to enlarge)

---

Learning about vegetarianism. (click to enlarge)

---

The China booth was busy. (click to enlarge)

---

Foods of Costa Rica. (click to enlarge)

---

Ready to talk about Cuba. (click to enlarge)

---

Organizers made sure Uni Gym had a festive look. (click to enlarge)

---

Trying a game of Chinese chess. (click to enlarge)

---

The food was delicious. (click to enlarge)

---

Documenting the fair for yearbook. (click to enlarge)

---

Signing at the booth for deaf culture and American Sign Language. (click to enlarge)

---

Sampling Chinese culture. (click to enlarge)

---

More tasty treats. (click to enlarge)

---

Information about Puerto Rico. (click to enlarge)

---

All the booths were busy. (click to enlarge)

---

Everybody's tastebuds were satisfied by the end of the fair. (click to enlarge)

---

Talking about Venezuela. (click to enlarge)

---

The food kept on coming. (click to enlarge)

---

Getting their fill. (click to enlarge)

---

Plenty of knowledge was imparted besides the food. (click to enlarge)

---

Taking a break. (click to enlarge)

---

The culture and food of India. (click to enlarge)

---

Jewish food and culture. (click to enlarge)

---

Essential items of the Jewish faith. (click to enlarge)

---

A bit of Ireland. (click to enlarge)

---

Not surprisingly, green was the color of choice at the Ireland booth. (click to enlarge)

---

Talking about Japan. (click to enlarge)

---

Japanese culture on display. (click to enlarge)

---

More from the Japan booth. (click to enlarge)

---

Nobody went home hungry. (click to enlarge)

---

Venezuelan culture was well-represented. (click to enlarge)

---

Students enjoyed the break from their normal lunchtime fare. (click to enlarge)

---

So many choices. (click to enlarge)

---

Why not a little bit of everything? (click to enlarge)

---

Manning the Greece booth. (click to enlarge)

---

The India booth was another popular stop. (click to enlarge)

---

The foods and culture of Hungary. (click to enlarge)

---

Students found plenty to like about the fair. (click to enlarge)

---

So did the teachers. (click to enlarge)

---

Sampling the food at the African-American booth. (click to enlarge)

---

Another view of Jewish food and culture. (click to enlarge)

---

Getting the word out about Venezuela. (click to enlarge)

---

Deaf culture and vegetarianism generated lots of interest. (click to enlarge)

---

More about Venezuela. (click to enlarge)

---

Communicating in ASL. (click to enlarge)

---

The drumbeat begins. (click to enlarge)

---

The fair gets ready to move outside to the rhythm of African drumming. (click to enlarge)