Mason Day Provides Free Food, Swag and Shows

Article by Broadside Staff Writer Emily Sharrer
Multimedia by Connect Mason Multimedia Director Grace Kendall and Broadside Photography Editor Courtney Erland

Mason Day 2008 featured local bands, free food and swag, dunk tanks, climbing walls, bumper cars and, of course, Gym Class Heroes.

• See photos from the event.
• Watch the local bands perform, courtesy of WGMU.

The event, which was hosted by Program Board and sponsored by Austin’s Grill in Fairfax and the Office of Student Media, featured an all-day music line-up of local and big name bands, games and activities.

The Office of Alcohol, Drug and Health Education gave away free smoothies, funnel cakes, snow cones and cotton candy. Student Government offered event goers free hot dogs, hamburgers and veggie burgers. In addition, there was recycling bin painting, tie-dye T-shirt stands and a rock climbing wall. All activities proved to be popular at the event.

The George Mason University Environmental Awareness Group gathered a number of recycling bins and allowed members of student organizations to pick out paint and decorate the bins however they wanted. According to freshman Justin Breckley, a member of Environmental Awareness Group, the event was a success and many students took an interest in the recycling bins.

“We have a lot of organizations out. I think it’s up to 25 and all the bins are looking really good,” Breckley said.
Many fraternities and sororities also came out to show their Mason spirit and to raise money for good causes. Zeta Tau Alpha raised money for breast cancer awareness. Delta Chi raised money for the V Foundation, which sponsors cancer research by giving students the chance to “dunk a Delta Chi” in their dunk tank. Similarly, Alpha Omicron Pi allowed attendees to pie a member in the face to raise money for medical care for children. Alpha Phi, which last year raised over $3,000 dollars for cardiac arrest awareness, held a faux kissing booth where donators received Hershey Kisses instead of real ones.

Several organizations that were recently recognized on campus attempted to inform students about their clubs. The Diversified Student Leaders Association, a group promoting leadership and diversity gave away candy and other miscellaneous items, as did the Alpha Delta fraternity.

“I think this is a great opportunity for people to get to know all the organizations out [there]. I think it is one of the essential events of the year,” said Hugo Quisbert, one of the people who helped reinstate Alpha Delta at Mason.

Besides the Hellenic organizations, there was a wide array of groups displaying pamphlets and informational posters about various causes. Connect Mason, Mason’s media Web site, had a table that aimed to raise awareness of sexual safety and sexual dangers. Mason’s Office of Fire Safety attempted to educate passersby with colorful booklets and candy. The Secular Student Alliance had a wide array of literature on atheism, agnosticism and separation of church and state.

As everyone walked around to the different vendors, a line-up of seven bands provided music for students from the small stage before Gym Class Heroes took to the big stage around 6 p.m. Square Trio, No Compromise, Jason Cerda, NUMA, Kill Ketura, Poor Man’s Lobster and campus favorite Free Money took turns playing for the crowd from 11 a.m. to about 4:30 p.m.