OSAGL Explores Springfest Options for Spring 2022
Students enjoy International Food Fest in 2016 (Photo credit Gettysburg College Flickr).
By Sarah Laud, Staff Writer
“Everyone talks about the time Maroon 5 came to Gettysburg College. But that was before Maroon 5 became Maroon 5,” said Director of the Office of Student Activities and Greek Life (OSAGL) John Allen. Gettysburg’s Springfest is not what it used to be and this Spring, it is undergoing yet another transformation.
“There are two conceptions of what Springfest is,” says Allen.
To some, Springfest is encapsulated by the Friday concert. Others think of the all-day Saturday events. Typically, Springfest’s Friday evening included a concert on the grass in front of Pennsylvania Hall. Saturday is an all-day celebration on Stine Lake to commemorate students’ hard work before finals week.
Springfest has transformed over the years. Originally, Springfest, before it was known as “Springfest,” was an Earth Day celebration hosted by Gettysburg Environmental Concerns Organization (GECO). Since then, it has expanded. The college began providing annual funding for a guest performer and other events. Greek organizations and college houses sponsor events at night.
“It’s a way to send off the students into finals week,” Allen said.
However, Gettysburg does not have the funding, nor does OSAGL have the budget to sign a contract with an artist that the student body would be really excited about. As such, OSAGL had to resort to charging students for a ticket if they wanted to attend the concert to recoup the funding spent for the artist to perform. Additionally, in recent years, the Friday concert has lost attendance.
“In 2018, we had less than 200 attendees. It’s not because the students have too high of expectations, but that to get someone that the students would want would be $120 per ticket. And even then, for whatever money OSAGL has to spend, there would never be enough to cover the cost to get someone to come to perform at the concert. So the artists aren’t the most popular,” Allen said. Springfest 2018 It was the last time Gettysburg hosted a concert.
In 2019, OSAGL decided to switch its focus to the day-long event on Stine Lake. Using student feedback from both attendees and planners, the College decided that the concert could be eliminated. That year, Springfest included an array of food trucks, inflatables, and a beer garden on Stine Lake.
Although the students had to pay for a ticket to attend the concert, the event on Stine Lake has always been free. “It’s covered by a budget through OSAGL and the food is paid through meal swipes,” Allen said.
When the COVID-19 pandemic began, Springfest underwent yet another transition. Springfest was not held during 2020 due to stay-at-home orders; however, it returned in 2021 as International Food Fest. The College intended to host International Food Fest during the Fall of 2020, but organizers postponed it to the Spring when the College had fewer restrictions.
“The idea was to cap off each semester with a culture-wide experience: International Food Fest in the Spring and Burg Burst in the Fall,” Allen said. “Last year’s feedback showed that the senior class enjoyed International Food Fest as a final send-off.”
“People found value in the weekend as a whole, but there’s something about having a really cool event to send the students into finals. Plus the emphasis on intercultural and inter-global relations maintains the college’s values,” Allen said.
This year’s Springfest has not yet been advertised. OSAGL plans to publish its announcement after Snow Ball.
