A lot of hard work by students and a happy confluence of events have combined to create Spring Fest '02, a weekend that promises to be thought-provoking, musical and a well-timed hiatus from the march toward finals and Commencement.
The fest, which runs April 18-20, has its roots in the Student Government Association's September retreat, according to student senator Katie Elmore. "We were motivated to provide a positive alternative to 4/20 day and continue our work building community on campus," she says.
The rumor mill has been busy all academic year with chatter about what alternatives the SGA and other student groups might sponsor to counter the marijuana smoke-in of 4/20, Elmore adds. Those hip green and gold posters (the ones where Bambi meets baby skunk) that went up around campus last week confirm that big plans have been made.
Spring Fest kicks off Thursday, April 18, at 7 p.m. in Ira Allen Chapel with a visit from Coral and Mike of MTV's The Real World. Elmore anticipates the two characters from the show, highly popular with college students, will be a strong draw.
The Chapel will be lively Friday night, April 19, as well, when filmmaker Spike Lee takes the stage. The backing for Lee's appearance comes compliments of the Class of 2002 gift. Seniors sought to bring a speaker that would stimulate thought and discussion and have major appeal for undergraduates. It's likely they found that in Lee, director of feature films such as Do the Right Thing, Jungle Fever, and Malcolm X. In a previous appearance at UVM, in the late 1980s, Lee drew a standing-room-only crowd and fielded student questions late into the night.
Earlier on Friday, the Vermont Student Environmental Program will head up an Enviro Fest on the Bailey/Howe Quad. Through a number of exhibits and activities, the event will explore ways that we can lighten our impact on the planet.
The amps will be turned up a bit in front of Bailey/Howe the next day — Saturday, April 20 — for the Spring Fest '02 concert, headlined by Vida Blue. The band brings together three top musicians on artistic sabbaticals of sorts from their usual groups — Page McConnell of Phish, Oteil Burbridge of The Allman Brothers and Russell Batiste of The Funky Meters. The hip-hop of Project Logic and UVM-student band Groove Components complete the bill.
Elmore and fellow student planners expect as many as 5,000 might attend that concert, which runs from noon to 6 p.m.. Clearly, she's not alone in being excited for the debut of Spring Fest.
"A lot of different student groups have worked together with the goal of creating things that will appeal to many students," Elmore says. "We can't wait."
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