Spring Break
Festival celebrates end of school year with art
T-shirt giveaway, recycling opportunity to be part of festival
Heather Holm / Activities Editor
Issue date: 4/28/09 Section: News
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The 32nd annual "Celebration: A Festival of the Arts" will take place this weekend, May 1 through 3.
Vaughn Jaenike, dean emeritus of the College of Fine Arts, started the event because he wanted to celebrate the end of the school year, along with art and the return of spring in east-central Illinois.
Dan Crews, director of Celebration, said this year it seemed like winter lasted forever, with all the snow and bad weather.
"It will be nice to get outdoors," Crews said.
Traditionally, the event is held outdoors, weather permitting.
Crews said the festival will reach out more to the student body on Friday since families and retirees will drive up on Saturday and Sunday.
The theme is "think green, think spring and think recycling."
Crews said about 7,000 to 8,000 people will come to Eastern's campus this weekend.
He said rain or shine, the event will still take place.
"When we run an event in east-central Illinois, rain may happen," Crews said. "We even have a picture of a guy holding an umbrella on the fliers along with the artists."
Crews said he only had to pull the plug on the event one time in 1989.
He said a little rain would not hurt anyone, and some events might be moved indoors, but for the most part, they would be outside.
Crews said planning for the festival starts a year to six months in advance.
"A month beforehand, we are extremely busy in planning and making sure there is electricity and that we meet all of our artists' needs," Crews said.
Thirty-two art vendors will be present this year.
Artist vendors had to put an application online where they could send photos, slides and so on of their merchandise.
Crews, Natalie Boyer, assistant director for Tarble Arts Center, and Bill Heyduck, former faculty member, then picked the vendors.
"We look for original artwork, variety, creativity and the way the booth is displayed," Boyer said.
Five bands will perform during Pantherstock.
The EIU Jazz Band, Little Boy Jr., MugWump Specific, the Staff Blues Band and Wrong Way will perform at 11:30 a.m. Friday in the Library Quad.
"We wanted to bring back the feel of Pantherstock and American English, Beatles cover band, last year," said Lauren Phillips, University Board mainstage coordinator.
Wrong Way is a Sublime cover band, named after a Sublime song.
The EIU Jazz Band, Little Boy Jr., MugWump Specific and the Staff Blues Band were winners of the two "Battle of the Bands" competitions.
A T-shirt giveaway will be a part of the event.
"People who give 10 recycled items will get a free T-shirt, and people who have five recycled items will get a free Frisbee," Phillips said.
Food vendors from Missouri, Chicago, Charleston, southern Illinois and all around the Midwest area will comeas well.
"We have space for 10 food booths," Crews said. "Corn dogs, curly fries, elephant ears and so on will be the foods provided."
Heather Holm can be reached at 581-7942 or at haholm@eiu.edu.
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