Class councils and the Campus Activities Board spearheaded the WinterFest Weekend 2005 last weekend. As a “community weekend,” WinterFest Weekend is part of an ongoing plan to provide campus holidays and traditions that are open to the UR community.
The desire to foster campus traditions is understandable, but these events should be evaluated carefully before labeling them as such.
While the Mo Rocca show sold out and Casino Night was well attended, other events were not as successful. The Masquerade Ball, which has taken place every winter for the last six years, has recently experienced low turnout. Not only was the attendance meager, but the necessary closure of the entire Wilson Commons building on the day of the event poses an inconvenience to many students.
There are several possible explanations for the decline in appreciation for the dance. With more student groups, the ever-increasing number of weekend activities forces many to choose between which events they would prefer to attend. For many college students, a $10 ticket to a dance could be better spent toward other entertainment venues. Students are also less likely to attend an event if the length interferes with later evening activities.
CAB should look into co-sponsoring an event with another student group. If this option does not work out, advice from other student groups should be taken into consideration. Traditions should emerge naturally, but can be helped along by working with organizations to make these events stand out. This cooperation is necessary if new events are to become popular traditions.
