Inside Iowa State

April 14, 2006

Veishea 2006

by Erin Rosacker

After a one-year hiatus, Veishea returns for its 84th celebration. "Celebrate Iowa State" runs from Monday, April 17, through Sunday, April 23, bringing a new emphasis on community-wide involvement in a more centralized environment.

That environment is the Iowa State campus, with the majority of the entertainment and events taking place on central campus.

College celebrations

Each weekday celebration features a college, as well as a barbeque on central campus from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday's barbeque includes a faculty cook-off, while Friday's event includes opening ceremonies from 12:15 to 1:30 p.m. Each featured college will be the recipient of a special breakfast, coordinated by Veishea's Special Events Committee, as a thank you to faculty and staff of that college.

Gary Stahl, Sean McLaughlin join opening ceremonies

Two ISU alumni will join President Gregory Geoffroy, Vice President for Student Affairs Tom Hill and Veishea co-chairs Eric Peterson and Jessica Lecy as speakers for this year's opening ceremonies. Gary Stahl, who earned a Spanish degree in 1983 from Iowa State, will deliver the keynote address. He currently serves as deputy director of UNICEF's Programme Funding Office. Emmy-winning MSNBC weather anchor Sean McLaughlin is a 1988 graduate of Greenlee School of Journalism and Communication. Opening ceremonies will move to the Memorial Union's Campanile Room in the event of inclement weather.

With the return of Veishea comes the renewal of many annual traditions, some with a new look.

Taste of Veishea

Taste of Veishea moves to Union Drive, bringing area vendors, games and live music to campus on Friday and Saturday from 5 p.m. to 3 a.m. The exhibits will be staged north of Lake LaVerne.

Battle of bands

The annual Battle of the Bands will hold its final competition Friday on the Campanile's south lawn, beginning at 5 p.m., followed by a live performance by the band Local H. Saturday's "Live @ Veishea" continuous music festival begins at 6 p.m. on three stages throughout campus, featuring a variety of music by both local and national acts.

Pancakes

Pancakes will take center stage twice over the weekend, with an all-you-can-eat feed beginning at midnight on Friday through 4:30 a.m. Saturday and the annual pre-parade carb-loading buffet on Saturday from 7:30 to 11:30 a.m. northwest of the Campanile. The midnight meal is just $1, while Saturday's all-you-can-eat meal is $5, with fruit smoothies also available for purchase. A silent auction will take place adjacent to Saturday's pancake breakfast. Proceeds from both events go to the Veishea Scholarship Fund.

Saturday morning parade

Saturday's Veishea parade returns, running through campus from 10:40 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The route travels along Pammel Drive, Stange Road, Osborn Drive, Morrill Road and Union Drive. KDSM-TV (FOX 17) will air a delayed broadcast of the parade on Saturday at 4 p.m.

Stars Over Veishea

Stars Over Veishea makes its annual curtain call, presenting "My Fair Lady" Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. in Stephens Auditorium. Tickets range from $13 to $18 through Ticketmaster and the Iowa State Center ticket office. Students can purchase discounted tickets directly from the Center ticket office.

Cherry pies

Cherry pies are already in production and will be ready for sale on Friday (9 a.m.-2 p.m.) and Saturday (10 a.m.) in 16 MacKay Hall while quantities last. Pies are $1 each and proceeds benefit hotel, restaurant and institution management scholarships.

Veishea Village, Cy's Big Top

Saturday's Veishea Village will feature open house displays and Cy's Big Top on central campus. A Cultural Festival will be located west of Curtiss Hall and the Village Square stage will showcase music, dance, skits and demonstrations from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. The MU's Great Hall will house an International Food Fair from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

History expo

New this year is the Veishea History Expo, located on the first floor of Beardshear Hall on Friday from 3 to 6 p.m., and Saturday from noon to 3 p.m. Displays, artifacts, photos and a slide show will feature Veishea's history and traditions. Alumni will be on hand to share perspectives on the past with visitors.

Planetarium

For the first time since the 1990s, the ISU Planetarium, housed in the basement of Physics Hall, will be open to the public on Saturday. The department of physics and astronomy will present five 20-minute showings (10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m., 2:30 p.m., 3:30 p.m.) previewing Iowa's summer skies. Admission is free, but limited seating requires the use of tickets that can be obtained beginning at 10 a.m. Weather permitting, the department also will have telescopes available on the observation deck of Zaffarano Hall for a public observing session from 9 to 11 p.m. Friday. Astronomy faculty and students will be available for questions.

For animal lovers

Revelers can take a trip to the southern part of campus to enjoy a variety of activities planned for the Veterinary Medicine open house. The event runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, featuring a petting zoo, Clydesdale wagon rides and other demonstrations, exhibits and presentations.

Tips for a better Veishea experience

Organizers suggest using the Memorial Union parking ramp for Taste of Veishea and "Live @ Veishea." However, if you park in the ramp on Saturday morning, you are stuck there from 10 a.m. until the parade ends.

There will be parade announcers positioned at MacKay and Beardshear Halls, along with bleachers at both locations.

BYOC (bring your own chair), as seating will not be provided for concerts and is very limited for the parade.

Most entertainment events are free of charge, with the exception of the Stars Over Veishea production and Friday night's comedy show at Hilton Coliseum.

Partial schedule of events

See Veishea homepage for more details