QuadFest is a massive campus unity event entirely conceived, organized and run by students. The idea for a Quad Festival came out of a retreat held by members of the 1993 SocComm Executive board. At that time there was much talk (and little action) by people about the WPI Community and how it could be improved. Much the same way that WPI is organized into different layers of administration, faculty, and support staff, the student body is split into groups which don't interact much: on-campus students, off-campus students, commuters, greeks and grad students. These groups of students only interact academically, with very little social interaction.
The basic idea was to combine a "Spring Week" type activity with a large unity event. This would involve many people in essentially what was to be a huge party on the Quadrangle, known as the Quad, without the negative issues surrounding Spree Day held previously at WPI and currently at Clark University. Both Spree Days have been criticized by the amount of drinking that traditionally has occurred and the image that it was school-sanctioned.
QuadFest is an extremely popular event, expecting to bring approximately two thirds of the campus together for a common cause - FREE FUN! This year, Amy Plack, Harrison Ripps, and Rich Santora are serving as co-chairs of the QuadFest committee, helping student groups organize their efforts into this large celebration. This year's theme, chosen by the committee, is "QuadFest III: Toucan Jam." On April 26th, the Quad will have a carnival atmosphere from 12-4:30 and a Hawaiian Luau from 7-midnight.
Here is a list of events that are scheduled to take place during the day:
Airball - back by popular demand
Gyroscope - only at an engineering school...
Martial Arts demonstration by SOMA
FREE FOOD - cooked by IFC and PanHel
Temporary Tattoos by licensed artists
Sand Art - make your own QuadFest souvenirs
Characiturist - he'll draw you for free!
Virtual Reality games
Fun Flicks - make your own music video
Dunk Tank - dunk your profs and RA's!
Free Sno Cones, cotton candy, and soft serve!
These are just a few of the exciting and FREE events that will be going on April 26th - make it a point to come out to the Quad!