Veishea leaders hopeful ISU families will take part

by Anne Krapfl
Veishea organizers this year have opted to tie in their event with the university's year-long celebration of families. Veishea 2001: Creating Cyclone Unity opens Saturday, April 14, and concludes Sunday, April 22.

"Veishea has always been a great family event, so it made sense to incorporate this year's family theme into our celebration," said Brian Nash, junior in mechanical engineering and Veishea co-chair. "Cyclone unity is about supporting the Cyclone family."

Many of the Veishea favorites -- cherry pies, canoe races, open houses and live entertainment -- are back. Campus events again are alcohol-free this year.

The start time of the Veishea parade on Saturday has been moved up one hour, to 10:40 a.m. The parade route through central campus remains the same as past years. KCCI-TV will broadcast the parade live from near the Memorial Union.

Serving for a pancake breakfast, by Iowa's own "Chris Cakes," Saturday south of the Campanile begins at 7:30 a.m. and continues until 11:30 a.m. The cost is $4 per person.

Students in the College of Family and Consumer Sciences will sell about 8,100 mini cherry pies this Veishea. Pies cost $1 and will be sold in 16 MacKay. Sales begin Friday at 9:30 a.m. and continue until half of the pies are sold, or approximately 2 p.m. Pie sales on Saturday begin at 9:30 a.m. and continue until all pies are sold.

Comic Wayne Brady, from the hit improvisational comedy TV show Whose Line Is It Anyway?, will headline the annual "Dew The Rec" at 9:30 p.m. Friday at the Lied Center.

Brady is a Los Angeles-based comic and theater veteran whose television credits include network series, PBS specials, cable series such as VH1's Vinyl Justice, and both the British and American versions of Whose Line Is It Anyway?

The band Vertical Horizon will perform at Veishea Center Stage Saturday, at Hilton Coliseum. Five For Fighting, the opening band, will begin playing at 9:30 p.m.

"Tickets are selling well for these events, but I hope people don't think of these as student events," Nash said. "With Veishea offsetting the cost, these two nights are a great opportunity to see big-time acts in Ames for a low cost."

Faculty, staff, alumni and Ames residents can purchase up to two tickets for each performance ($10 for Brady and $20 for Vertical Horizon) at the Stephens Auditorium ticket office. Faculty and staff will need to show valid ISU identification, members of the ISU Alumni Association will be required to display membership identification, and Ames residents will be asked to provide valid photo identification confirming residency. Tickets for each show also will be sold the day of the show, if available ($15 for Brady, $25 for Vertical Horizon). All tickets to see Brady are general admission; Veishea Center Stage is reserved seating. Doors open at 8:30 p.m. each night.

Theresa Uchytil, Miss Iowa 2000 and a 1998 graduate of Iowa State in speech communication, will attend the opening ceremony at 12:15 p.m. Friday on central campus. She will speak on "Facing the Challenge."

The ISU solar car team will unveil PrISUm Odyssey, its entry in the American Solar Challenge July 15-25. The car and team will be in the Howe Hall atrium from 4:30 to 7 p.m. Friday. A short program begins at 5 p.m. PrISUm Odyssey is Iowa State's sixth solar car and will be tested in the 2,300-mile, Chicago-to-L.A. solar car race.

Faculty representatives again will compete in an outdoor cook-off over the lunch hour on Thursday, April 19. Contestants from various colleges and other units were nominated by students for this event. Meat is provided; contestants bring their own spices and sauces. The cook-off will be south of the Campanile.

The Veishea, faculty, staff member and teaching assistant of the year will be announced at a reception at 5:30 p.m. Thursday in the Memorial Union Campanile Room.

Rodgers and Hammerstein's first collaboration, Oklahoma!, is the Stars Over Veishea musical this spring. Performances begin at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday evening and at 2 p.m. Sunday in Stephens Auditorium. Tickets are $10 to $15 for adults ($6 to $10 for students, including ISU students).

A Taste of Veishea, including food vendors, music, games and sports contests, returns to Welch Avenue on Friday and Saturday of Veishea weekend. Central campus on Saturday again will be home to Cy's Big Top, a cultural festival and walk-up tournaments in events such as football toss and golf putting.

Partial listing of Veishea events

Team PrISUm will unveil its new solar car, PrISUm Odyssey (pictured sans cells), at 4:30 p.m. Friday, April 20, as part of Veishea festivities. Photo by Michael Haynes.