BY KELSEY PURCELL, FEATURES ASSIGNMENT EDITOR
Spring Weekend is a memorable weekend that students look forward to at St. Bonaventure University. Students get to have fun and take their minds off the stress that finals week brings about. Spring Weekend serves as the last hurrah of the school year. Students get to make fun new memories with their friends before going home for the summer. For some graduating seniors, it is their last chance to make memories with their classmates at school before they start their journeys and careers outside of college.
Last year, Spring Weekend could not occur in its true state because of the COVID-19 restrictions that were in place, such as social distancing and no visitors or vendors allowed on campus. The year before that, classes were online at the end of the spring semester because of the pandemic, so Spring Weekend did not occur.
This year COVID-19 restrictions are not in the way of Spring Weekend. The mask mandate has been lifted by the university and vendors are able to come to campus. Spring Weekend festivities can return to a sense of normalcy. Students are able to enjoy the traditions that have been done in the past.
The intramural kickball tournament, hosted by the recreation department of the Sandra A. and William L. Richter Center, tends to have a large turnout. The tournament will be held on Friday, April 29, and Saturday, April 30. Students form teams of anywhere between 10 and 20 people, with at least four members of each gender on the team. Winners of the kickball tournament will receive kickball champion sweatshirts.
The Hickey Dining Hall will be closed starting on Friday night for dinner and it will open back up on Sunday for normal brunch. Tents and food vendors will be set up in the parking lot between the Richter and the Reilly Center for dinner on Friday and lunch on Saturday. Spring Weekend dinner on Saturday will be in the dining hall.
Students need wristbands to get food during Spring Weekend. Wristbands can be purchased in the Hickey Dining Hall. They are free for those who have platinum, gold and silver meal plans.
People with the 75 block plan can buy a wristband for four swipes. Those with the 100 and 150 block swipe plans can buy them for five swipes. Wristbands can also be purchased for $27.45 for both Friday and Saturday access.
Food options include hamburgers, hotdogs, walking tacos, chicken nuggets, pizza and more. Treats such as fried Oreos, fried dough, churros, cotton candy and more will be available as well.
Most of the fun will occur on both Friday from 4 to 8 p.m. and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the courts between the Richter and Reilly centers. There will be inflatable obstacle courses, jousting, a photo booth, a mechanical bull, and caricature drawings. There will also be live music performances from musicians on both days.
On Friday there will be music provided by WSBU The Buzz from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Bingo night will be hosted at 8 p.m. in the Dresser Auditorium in the Murphy Professional Building.
On Saturday between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m., there will be a tie-dye event on the Hickey lawn from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Hypnotist Michael C. Anthony will perform at 7 p.m. in the Rigas Family Theater in the Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts.
Spring Weekend is sure to be memorable this year. Students will get the full, normal experience of the weekend festivities, unlike in the past few years.
