The History of Mason Day

Photograph and Text Courtesy of Robert Vay and Adam Fielding, Special Collections & Archives, University Libraries

Though today Mason Week spans an entire week, it originally began as a simple one-day, college-wide event meant to bring together the entire student body and faculty.

In 1965, the first Mason Day featured a series of speeches given by the faculty and administration. By 1967, it was expanded to include academic and service awards presentations, food, and a variety of activities, including a tug-of-war and a human-powered “chariot race.”

By the 1970s, Mason Day had expanded into a multi-day event filled with activities, food, and beverages. In the early 1970s students camped behind South Building (today’s Krug Hall), their tents going up on Tuesday or Wednesday. Live musical acts played Thursday nights and Friday afternoons. Classes would end early on Friday, Mason Day, and celebrations and activities, would continue into Saturday.

In 1978, most of the Mason Day activities were moved to an area near the Physical Education building. Large tents were set-up to house bands, beer and food, such as popcorn, hot dogs and hamburgers. More activities were added, such as rappelling demonstrations by Mason’s ROTC unit and a skate boarding contest.

The early 1980s brought more changes to Mason Day. It was moved to Parking Lot K. Much of K Lot was blocked off to provide for recreational vehicle parking, live bands and roller skating. In 1982, camping disappeared from the Mason Week lineup, but soon new activities made their appearances at Mason Day, such as a kissing booth, arm wrestling, animal races (rats, turtles, and snakes), Frisbee demonstrations, parachute drops, a mechanical bull ride, break dancing demonstrations and step shows.

The 1980s also brought national musical acts to Mason Day including The Ventures, Clarence Clemons and the Red Bank Rockers, Slickee Boys, George Benson, Oingo Boingo, The Wailers, and Red Hot Chili Peppers. Mason Day underwent still more changes by the end of the decade. The celebration returned to the Fenwick Quad.

To combat underage drinking and other alcohol-related problems, the University prohibited beer sales and consumption outside of the campus pub, the Rathskeller.

Mason Day festivities in the 1990s and beyond continued to grow and better reflect the diversity of the student body. University clubs and organizations took advantage of the festival for promoting their goals and fund raising.

National musical acts continued to appear, including Throwing Muses, Digital Underground, The Gap Band, Violent Femmes, The Connells, and The Roots, Jimmy’s Chicken Shack, The Black Eyed Peas, Run DMC, Xzibit, Common, N.O.R.E., My Chemical Romance, and Naughty by Nature. National Campus Tours, featuring novelty activities, such as sumo wrestling, moon bounce jousting, and the Velcro Olympics, made stops here during Mason Week. Movies, local bands, comedians, and numerous vendors also became part of the celebration.