On stage, the Orange County Jammers, a troop of older cheerleaders, were strutting their stuff, pumping their pompoms and sounding off one by one. They struck a final pose and the crowd exploded with applause; one woman put down her cornbread to clap over her head.

About 600 people gobbled up the food and entertainment Sunday at the 11th annual Community Dinner at McDougle Schools.

"In [the dinner's] simplicity lies a much bigger agenda. That agenda is community," said Nerys Levy, one of the event's main coordinators. "What better way to unite people than by food and art?"

About 25 restaurants helped cater the event, with Mildred Council (aka Mama Dip) coordinating the menu. Six groups performed, ranging from Peruvian American dancers to a band from the Triangle Residential Options for Substance Abusers program based in Durham.

"There's a lot of international foods. I can't even name everything," said lifetime Carrboro resident Kathy King, rotating her plate with her fork poised over it.

The catchphrase of the dinner was "Sit down with a stranger leave with a friend."

James Russ -- who attended the event with other mentally impaired individuals under the auspices of Club Nova -- was excited to have met a UNC student with whom he talked about nutrition "and how it affects quality of life."

Business connections, too, seemed to proliferate, according to Levy.

"For instance, we tried to do more with local foods this year so some of the sweet potatoes were from a man in northern Orange, and now other restaurants here know about him and will buy produce from him," she said.

But while some individuals met new people, others did not.

"You can only bring people out so far," said Melissa Mills.

Whether or not the results of the collaborative event were tangible,

Kimberly Pfirrmann, a volunteer from UNC School of Social Work, said, "you leave with a few more faces you recognize."

In 1998 the first Community Dinner was created as a cap to Black History Month. But the committee quickly saw it had a broader cultural appeal, so the organizers began to diversify their menu and solicit restaurants to make it more than a potluck.

About 150 people attended the first dinner. The number has grown along with the scope of the event and its web of sponsorship. This year there was a No Waste emphasis, meaning that remaining food was either given to the Inter-Faith Council for Social Service for Social Service or composted, and the plates were biodegradable.

"We've always had volunteers," Levy said. "They make it possible. What's interesting is that this year UNC students found us. The political dialogue in the country has changed. I think more students and young people feel empowered and want to get involved."

In April, Durham will have a Durham Community Dinner based on Orange County's model.