Fall Fest 2010 promises to be one of the largest ones yet in honor of the University’s sesquicentennial.
The annual “welcome back” event, held today from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m., hosts more than 8,000 faculty, staff and students each year.
Nancy Little, this year’s Fall Fest chair, said this year’s celebration will feature more activities than in previous years, including both old and new traditions.
Like in previous years, the fest will include free food, like hamburgers, hot dogs, pizza and snowballs.
Activities include a rock wall from LSU University Recreation, science experiments from ExxonMobil and step show performances from Greek students.
New additions to the event include phone charging stations from AT&T, an IndyCar on display in front of Dodson Auditorium and a two-step activity sponsored by Blue Cross Blue Shield.
“Our activities are on a larger scale this year,” Little said. “Our footprint has increased a little bit.”
Little said volunteers will be on hand to ensure the event’s carbon footprint remains small.
“We are going to have volunteers all over the area making sure students are recycling and composting to reduce waste as best we can,” she said.
The annual event usually costs around $25,000, Little said.
“Much of the event is privately funded by the seven sesquicentennial sponsors,” she said. “No student fees are used for this.”
The seven sponsors include Campus Federal Credit Union, Baton Rouge Coca-Cola Bottling Company, AT&T, Raising Cane’s, Entergy, ExxonMobil and Blue Cross Blue Shield.
Little said additional funding comes from University Relations’ Special Events account, which allots $15,000 each year for campus events.
Little said Fall Fest is one of the more popular campus events.
“It draws a lot of people,” she said. “It’s been boasted by some to be one of the best events LSU has. It allows faculty, staff and students a chance to get outside and do something fun during lunchtime.”
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Contact Sarah Eddington at [email protected]