On Saturday, the Asian American Student Association held OSU’s 23rd annual Harvest Moon Festival at the International Mall.

Students could watch song and dance performances, eat traditional foods such as mooncakes or beef with peanut sauce, play games and do crafts at tables hosted by different student organizations.

AASA Officer James Lee emceed the event and explained the festival’s significance to East Asian cultures.

“(The Harvest Moon Festival) is a way that people gather,” Lee said. “It’s kind of like Asian Thanksgiving where people reunite with their families. They celebrate the Harvest Moon, they celebrate a good harvest… Harvest Moon showcases many different countries, (and their) fashions; we have people from all different Asian countries represent themselves in performances as well.”

A wide variety of performances were given at the festival. This included a reenactment of the story of Chang’e and Hou Yi with modern pop culture references; múa nón, a Vietnamese dance centered around the nón lá hat; LYT, a K-pop dance group based in Oklahoma City; a traditional fashion show featuring clothing from several Asian cultures and Laotian singing and dance.

Many different clubs and student organizations tabled at the festival, offering activities such as trivia, snacks and various crafts.

“I love being able to help out around here and be around (new) cultures, even if it doesn’t completely match my culture,” said Madie Samson, who was volunteering for AASA’s paper lantern decorating table. “I love learning about (other) ethnicities and their traditions… it’s really important to me to be aware and learn to appreciate others.”

Haya Monawwar and Rahman Modhesh represented the Muslim Student Association and hosted trivia. They expressed enjoyment for the diverse and welcoming atmosphere at the Harvest Moon Festival, noting that while a wide variety of different cultures were represented at the festival, they shared some core beliefs.

“We share the same notions of good luck and good fortune, and always wishing everyone the best,” Monawwar said. “The word Islam means peace; that’s what we wish to everyone. What brings good fortune better than peace?”

Ike Imerbthama and Alison Samson were present; they are this year’s Mr. and Miss Asian OSU, also called Mr. and Miss Apida. Imerbthama gave a speech about the importance of supporting small businesses and engaging with one’s community, encouraging students to visit shops and get involved with student organizations to help Stillwater grow.

“(The Mr. and Miss Apida Scholarship Pageant) is a really big growing experience. You learn a lot about yourself, you learn about time management, you learn a lot of professional skills,” Samson said. “(It) helped me grow as a person in ways I didn’t expect… I’ve learned just how diverse Oklahoma State is and how many people come here from different backgrounds.”

The event concluded with a lion dance by the Hưng Việt Dragon and Lion Dance Association from Oklahoma City. Dancers brought three lions to life, occasionally tossing oranges to the audience and walking off the stage to interact with people while drummers backed their movements. The dance is said to scare away evil spirits and bring all who view it good luck.