Students Celebrate Springfest Weekend
Students enjoy the Spring Fest programming on Stine Lake (Photo Credit Salmin Mwinjuma/The Gettysburgian).
By Alli Dayton, News Editor
On Friday, April 22, and Saturday, April 23, Gettysburg College students gathered to celebrate the tradition of Springfest for the first time since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many on-campus organizations collaborated to create engaging events for the weekend.
The weekend kicked off on Friday with Earth Day Fest in the Attic, featuring a 1970s theme and live music for students to enjoy.
Saturday’s festivities began at 11:00 a.m. on Stine Lake with Earth Day Fest: Eco Fair, hosted by the Gettysburg Environmental Concerns Organization (GECO) and the Sustainability Committee. Attendees participated in eco-friendly activities to celebrate Earth Day during the event.
From 11:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., the Black Student Union hosted a field day even on Servo Field, where students had the opportunity to enjoy field day activities like an inflatable obstacle course.
Throughout the day, the College Houses collaborated to produce a series of events. The Civil War Studies House hosted a block party featuring live music. QHouse created Qarnival, a carnival-themed event. Students who visited Latinx House during the day enjoyed Water Palooza, an event that offered students an opportunity to cool off with water activities during the day. Global Studies House provided make-your-own crafts to students who visited in the afternoon.
Later in the afternoon, the International Club invited students to participate in Holi, a popular Hindu festival commonly known as “The Festival of Colors.” Students who attended covered each other’s clothes in colorful chalk and water to celebrate the event.
Attendee Jocie Little ’25 said, “I went to the Holi Festival, and it was really fun to celebrate a holiday that I didn’t know about before in a really beautiful way.”
In the early evening, the Office of Student Affairs & Greek Life, Dining Services, International Student Services, and the East Asian Studies Department worked together to create International Food Fest. During this event, students enjoyed food options from Africa, India, Mesoamerica, Jamaica, Vietnam, Peru, and Japan. As students ate, they could sit and listen to live music or receive henna tattoos.
The day concluded with live music and host-provider drinks at the Painted Turtle Farm. The Center for Public Service, GECO, and the Sustainability Committee worked together to produce this final Springfest event.
Brandon Caban ‘23 said, “Spring Fest provided lots of fun opportunities to spend time with my friends and learn about other cultures.”
May 4, 2022
Crabfest was cancelled lol, good reporting.