MAGGIE GILROY
Reverb Editor
Plans are currently in progress for May 3rd’s Fred Fest, which will follow last years’ carnival structure. This was a change from years’ past, which featured a headliner. However, a poor turnout for the headliner caused Spectrum to remodel the event.
According to data provided by Spectrum Advisor Rachel LaPaglia, in 2013 1,488 people attended the event, which is 63.5% of the 2,342 tickets that were sold. Of those who attended, 1,170, or 78.6%, were Fredonia students.
Using these numbers, it can be calculated that 42.2% of all Fredonia students bought tickets to the 2013 Fred Fest, and 21.1% of all Fredonia students attended Fred Fest. Therefore, 2.1 out of 10 students attended Fred Fest.
Inquiries to Spectum about the current budget for Fred Fest were not answered.
Spectrum was happy with last years’ turnout. “We had a greater percentage come as compared to our other years,” said Spectrum President Alexandra Drake, junior biology major.
While they will be following the same model as last year, this years’ Fred Fest will be dedicated to fixing problems faced last year.
“This is kind of like fixing the kinks that happened from last year, because last year was so new,” said Spectrum vice-president Anna Jones, junior childhood inclusive education major.
Drake described the challenges as including fixing the entrance and the long line to Dinosaur Barbecue. They also plan to add some giveaways, takeaways and possibly add more vendors and novelties. In addition to the vendors and novelties, Dinosaur Barbecue will be back for a second year. Possible vendors include lemonade, frozen yogurt (which will be new this year), hamburgers and fried dough. Novelties may include a photo booth or caricature; however, they are not yet set in stone.
Spectrum will also be bringing in different bands from last years’ event and is holding a contest in order to choose which two local bands will perform at Fred Fest. Participants are required to fill out an application, provided by Spectrum, and send it in with a 2-3 track demo. The application and song is due in the Spectrum mailbox in the Campus Life Office by April 2. At least one member of the band must be a Fredonia student in order to qualify.
After the applications are paired down by Spectrum, the student body will vote on two bands to perform at Fred Fest. In addition to the two contest winners, two bands from Buffalo will perform as well.
Occurring the same weekend will be FREDstock Music Festival 14, an independent project chaired by senior business major Matthew Mincin. While it is intended by Mincin to be an alternative way to celebrate Fred Fest than the current drug and alcohol fueled house party scene, it is not currently being supported by the Student Association.
“It’s going to be difficult because we are an SA group so we can’t really help them if they’re going to be an off- campus non-school-based event, is what it comes down to,” said Jones, “but we’re still looking into it and seeing what they’re all about.”