Members of the All Campus Party planning committee are geared up for a week full of prizes, performances and special events put on by dozens of student organizations all over campus starting Saturday.
“We are really hoping to achieve a sense of celebration of the campus and provide a type of bonding time for everyone right before the school year is over,” said Kailey Bender, co-director of ACP.
ACP spokesperson Anna Green added spring provides the perfect atmosphere to achieve this goal because Madison “really comes alive during spring.” The group wanted to capitalize on that energy by having a week where students, organizations, faculty and staff can come together.
Perhaps the most important aspect of the ACP for students is all the free stuff, Bender said.
“There will be free food at everything,” she said. “You will walk away with T-shirts, prizes and lot of other freebies. There’s going be a lot of quality things.”
Students do not always realize just about everything that happens during the ACP is free, said Naomi Brown, Bucky’s State Fair co-chair.
One of the best prizes students should be looking for is a free round-trip domestic flight and a free Euro-pass donated by STA Travel, according to Green. She added students can enter the drawing for these and other prizes by filling out an ACP punch card available at all the featured events.
Another highly anticipated event at this year’s party is the All Campus Idol competition, where students can compete to open for the headlining performer OK Go at the Badger Blowout Concert at the Overture Center April 24. The winner will also receive two free tickets to the American Idol finale in Los Angeles and backstage passes for the after party, according to Bender.
Students with a hankering to hit the dance floor can also check out Club Bucky at Madison Avenue April 23.
“This event really got cranked up a notch this year with a couple different DJs and a few hip-hop groups that are big in the Midwest,” Green said. “There will also be a ‘You Got Served’ style dance off, which should be pretty fun.”
Bender said she is particularly excited about Bucky’s State Fair, which will be held April 21 on Library Mall.
Featuring stands and booths from nearly 30 student organizations, Bucky’s State Fair provides a valuable opportunity for student groups to showcase what they have been up to all year while showcasing the multifaceted talents and interests of the student body, according to Bender.
“Student organizations have a lot of remarkably talented members, and they are doing some very cool things,” Bender said.
Bender mentioned the Engineers Without Borders organization as an example, which built a bike that makes smoothies when it is pedaled. They will be promoting their coming trip to Haiti to provide clean water there.
The All Campus Party will run tomorrow through April 24.
