It’s party time.
Ivies weekend officially began on Thursday night with performances by Tree Farm and Reel Big Fish in Smith Union, but the College has been gearing up all week.
The Meddiebempsters and the Longfellows got in on the Ivies hype, performing an ‘Ivies Kickoff Concert’ on Wednesday evening in the Chapel, as did a group who staged the second annual Bowdoin Night Live on Wednesday evening in Kresge Auditorium.
All week, Ivies was inevitably the subject of many conversations, as students began purchasing apparel and water bottles on Monday and rushed to finish homework before the events officially commenced on Thursday.
The fun has only just begun though. Today, the Student Activities Office is hosting an event on the quad of Brunswick Apartments in the afternoon and a party at the Harpswell apartments this evening. The main event comes tomorrow with performances from The White Panda and Logic, which will take place in Farley Field House for the second year in a row due to unpredictable weather forecasts and a muddy Whittier Field. The doors open at 2 p.m. and performances start at 3 p.m.
Some students expressed disappointment about the concert moving indoors, but the potential bad weather does not seem to have dampened all excitement on campus.
“I’m really excited to spend some quality time with my friends and enjoy great music and the outdoors,” said Devoe Arnold ’18.
“I’m going to be excited, I’m just not there yet—I’m still doing homework,” said Maddie Daily ’16. “Also, [Hatch Science Library] will be open on Saturday because I’ll be working.”
This year’s celebration marks the 150th anniversary of the Bowdoin Ivy Day tradition, but acknowledgement of that milestone or of the event’s history has so far been minimal.
While the Ivies hype is pervasive, some campus organizations have recognized that a drunken, sweaty and crowded concert does not appeal to everyone and have scheduled alternative events. Counseling Services and The Bowdoin Outing Club will hold a self care retreat at the Coastal Studies Center from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday.
Planning and Changes
The Entertainment Board (eBoard) has been busy planning the Ivies lineup for months. In October, it conducted a survey of students’ preferences, which it used to narrow down the list of possible performers. The eBoard also considered factors such as cost and availability before finalizing contracts and releasing an announcement video in early March.
This year for the first time, there will be porta-potties placed in the parking lot of Brunswick Apartments between apartment units L and M on Friday.
“We have porta-potties at Brunswick Quad, so use them,” said Director of Student Activities Nate Hintze. “There was some damage to doors [last year] for people wanting to get into rooms to use restrooms.”
Hintze noted that there are not many significant changes being made to the different activities and protocols for the weekend. Since the concert was held indoors last year, the College is better prepared to hold the concert indoors if necessary this year.
On Monday, Director of Safety and Security Randy Nichols emphasized the importance of safety in his annual “SurvIvies Guide” email to the entire campus.
Nichols wrote that he and the Office of Safety and Security will be focused on mitigating the effects of risky behavior.
“Our goal is always to get through it without any injuries or arrests or worse,” said Nichols.
Security has added staff for the weekend and will maintain a sizable and visible presence at and around all of the major events.
Nichols said he expects to spend the night on a cot he sets up in his office. Associate Director of Safety and Security David Profit will be sleep in a hotel in Brunswick to be closer to campus.
While Bowdoin students pose a threat for risky behavior, Nichols said that students’ visitors and local residents have traditionally caused the most problems.
As they have in recent years, guests from other schools are required to register with the Student Activities Office and pay $30 for entrance to the Saturday concert at Whittier Field.
Nichols said that this policy minimizes disruptions because it makes students accountable for their guests’ conduct. He added that Security will not hesitate to confront a troublesome visitor.
“If we do have a problem with a guest, we take it very seriously. We’ll remove the guest from campus and we’ll also notify their college—if they’re a college student—for any follow up action that they might take,” he said.
The Brunswick Police Department is aware of the event but will not be increasing staffing or patrols according to Commander of Support Services Mark Waltz.
“We do routine patrol unless we get called,” he said in a phone call with the Orient.
The College also hopes to mitigate potential health threats by making lots of food and non-alcoholic drinks available.
Super Snack will be closed today and Saturday. This afternoon there will be a snack truck serving tacos and wraps at the Brunswick Apartments Quad and tonight there will be hot dogs and pizza sponsored by BSG in the Harpswell Apartments parking lot.
Dining Services will supply food at the Saturday afternoon concert and BSG is sponsoring a hot dog cart and pizza deliveries for a party at Pine Street Apartments Saturday evening. The College will provide water at each event.