On Thursday, April 24, Fordham University's annual Spring Weekend kicks off with a series of events that last until that Sunday.
Spring Weekend is four days of events put on for students, by students. The Campus Activities Board and other on-campus groups have been planning since fall to put on events like concerts, rugby games, road races and more.
The first two events of the weekend begin Thursday night. Both of these events are new to Spring Weekend. At 7:00 p.m., American Age Lecture Series hosts Alina Fernandez, the daughter of Fidel Castro, in Keating First Auditorium.
Later that night, Rodrigue's is hosting the Late Night Blacklight Party at 10:00 p.m. in the Ramskeller. CAB President Elaina Revans encourages students to participate in this new occasion, saying, "This fun dance party will be a great start to the weekend's events."
On Friday, the weekend is officially kicked off with the Rose Hill Rush, a 5K walk/run/jog around campus. The Rose Hill Rush is sponsored by Peer Educators. Registration is at 3:45 p.m. and the race starts at 4:30 p.m.
"The idea of kicking off Spring Weekend with a run is to promote health and wellness and to show that Peer Educators are all about having a great time on Spring Weekend," Kristen Woodford, FCRH '08 and chairperson of Peer Educators, said.
Peer Educators, along with Residence Halls Association and Campus Activities Board, is one of the major groups on campus involved in planning Spring Weekend. In addition to hosting the Rose Hill Rush, Peer Educators also spends a significant amount of the weekend handing out food, water, key chains, pens and other items to students to remind them to be safe about their choices throughout the weekend.
Woodford emphasizes the presence of Peer Educators being involved in Spring Weekend.
"The intention of all of our events and presence during Spring Weekend is to encourage people to have fun while being safe and making informed choice," he said. "We really want to emphasize the importance of eating and staying hydrated if you are planning on drinking alcohol."
After the Rose Hill Rush, there is a rugby game at 8:00 p.m. on Murphy Field. At 10:00 p.m., CAB is showing an Outdoor Movie, Moulin Rouge, on McGinley Lawn.
Saturday's events are both Spring Weekend staples. At noon, doors open on Martyr's Lawn for the Spring Weekend concert. The musical guests are Ghostface Killah and Secret Machine.
Ghostface Killah is an original member of the Wu-Tang Clan. His first album, Ironman, was released in 1996. Secret Machines is a rock group originally from Dallas, now based in New York.
Lenny DeFranco, the Concert Committee co-chair, thinks highly of the chosen artists.
"In terms of individual acts, they are both outstanding," DeFranco said. "Ghostface is a legendary rapper, and Secret Machines are, I feel, one of the best [acts] out there today. We're just happy we could bring in two quality artists to try to put on a good show for the students."
Joe Milner, FCRH '11, is looking forward to watching Ghostface Killah perform.
"As the godfather of current rap, he has a lot to offer," he said. "Seeing him perform will be a very special treat."
Before Spring Weekend, on April 18, Rodrigue's will be hosting a Battle of the Bands. The winner of this competition will open for Ghostface Killah and Secret Machines. Students are encouraged to attend this event and vote on the student band they want to see performing on Spring Weekend.
Later Saturday night is the Under the Tent Dance, hosted by the Residence Halls Association. The dance starts at 9:00 p.m. and features a Manhattan, velvet rope, lounge-style theme. The dress code is semi-formal, and tickets are being sold the week before in McGinley for $15 ($20 at the door).
Sunday night ends the weekend with a comedy show at 7:00 p.m. in the Rose Hill Gym.
Meredith Crain, the assistant director for programming at the Office of Student Leadership and Community Development, reminds students that throughout the weekend regular Fordham rules, in addition to a few others, apply.
"There are a number of policies in place from our end to ensure that everyone has a safe and fun Spring Weekend," she said. "Students need to act responsibly and respectfully toward all students and performers; they could be asked to leave if they do not."
Drinks and snacks will be provided at all events, so students are asked to leave all liquids, including water bottles, at home. Bags will be searched to enforce this policy. In addition to these guidelines, students must have their Fordham ID with them to get into the weekend's events. Each student is allowed two guests, and they must be checked in at the front.
"I just hope that each and every student is able to enjoy the events their peers have worked so hard to put on," Crain says. "Spring Weekend is such an exciting time on campus and probably my favorite event that we do all year."
Woodford shares in Crain's excitement. Her advice to students "is to have fun, be safe, and to take advantage of all the events that are going on that weekend. Spring Weekend is a great time to celebrate the ending of another successful academic year."
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