By Jamie Welch, Web Coordinator
Gettysburg College has many traditions, from the campus-wide Thanksgiving Dinner before the holiday break to the First-Year Walk that retraces the steps that Abraham Lincoln and the students of Gettysburg College took from the college to the national cemetery to deliver “a few appropriate remarks.”
But no tradition is as deliciously reminiscent of the beach as Oceanfest. Oceanfest is a tradition, now over 10 years old, where Dining Services serves up delicious seafood recipes to students for merely the cost of a swipe. When Oceanfest first began it was called Crabfest, but the name was later changed to Oceanfest to allow for a diversification of the dishes offered.
The annual event was held this past Friday from 4:30-7p.m. and featured a Lifeguards theme. After the success achieved last year, the event was once again held in the Dining Center, with outside seating available to students. T-shirts were sold throughout the week by CAB with a design surrounding this theme, bearing “Lifeguard” on the front and “Saving lives since 1832” on the back. Free Oceanfest Chapstick was given out at the event, and a lifeguard chair in which to take pictures was generously provided by the Bullets Swim Team.
Some of the dishes featured included Blue Crab Stuffed Flounder, Shrimp & Scallops in a Red Pepper Fondue, Fried Calamari and Lobster Mac and Cheese. In response to complaints from last year, Dining Services worked to ensure that the line for the Lobster Mac and Cheese did not get extremely long during peak dinner time by providing two lines at which it was served. Dining Services also expanded the non-seafood options for those who do not like or cannot eat seafood, offering corn dogs, tacos and potato skins.
The overall reaction to Oceanfest was positive. Many students took to Yik Yak to voice their appreciation for the annual seafood feast, with one student even writing “Lobster Mac and Cheese is bae.” The event was well attended, with 1,087 students attending and about 200 taking part in the Host Provider opportunity. Some suggestions for next year offered at the CAB meeting on Monday included making it more obvious how to access the outside seating and moving the giveaway items inside the Dining Center so that more people can take advantage. If you have any suggestion on how to improve the events next year, email Sarah Roessler at roessa01@gettysburg.edu.
