The Social Activities Council’s (SAC) annual Block Party was moved from its originally slated location on the Student Center Lawn to the L.P. Young Student Center due to poor weather conditions.
Despite being moved indoors, the Block Party attracted 103 students who were able to play lawn games, including miniature skeeball, cornhole, giant Jenga and a beanbag knockdown game in the student center’s flag room, and eat free food provided buffet-style in an adjacent seating area on Saturday, April 12.
According to senior and SAC Weekend Events Coordinator Eric Silverstein, the Block Party was also supposed to include a dunk tank, which was cancelled due to weather.
Silverstein said a contingency plan had already been in place in the event of a rainy day.
“Originally the event was supposed to take place outside on the Student Center Lawn, but we learned a week ago that there was some potential for some rain, so we had a backup plan in place just in case we had to move things inside,” said Silverstein.
The annual Block Party is the final event leading up to SAC’s annual Spring Concert, which took place this year on Sunday, April 13, in the student center’s Mabel Brown Room, featuring headlining rap artist and 2011 BET Hip Hop Awards winner Waka Flocka Flame.
Silverstein said the Block Party serves as a last-minute opportunity to build energy for the concert.
“The Block Party is, or was, a yearly event that takes place the day before the Spring Concert to get everyone excited, advertise it one last time, hand out free t-shirts, give people some free food, let them play some games and just have a good time,” said Silverstein.
The annual Spring Concert lost funding for next year’s show at a recent KSC Student Assembly meeting, according to previous reporting by The Equinox.
Silverstein, who is graduating soon, said whether or not the Block Party will continue independently from the Spring Concert next year will be up to the incoming SAC e-board, but said that he is hopeful it will.
“I’ve heard some good things from them about next year and what they’re going to try to do to supplement for losing the concert, and it sounds like it’s going to be really good no matter what they do,” said Silverstein.
Senior and SAC Vice President Mason Arseneau said the Block Party was successful, despite the weather.
“There’s been a decent amount of people who have already floated through, and I’ve seen lots of people enjoying the food,” said Arseneau.
“I’m happy to see students here at these events. That’s what makes it worth it, to see people having fun and I’m thankful to everyone who’s stopped by and I hope to see more of you,” added Arseneau.
Senior Lily Gross said she attended the event to have fun and enjoy the food.
“I wanted to come because I knew this was happening and wanted something to do. It’s pretty cool, and I got a t-shirt and some mac-and-cheese bites, which to me is one of the best parts,” said Gross.
Senior Cameron Isbel and a friend said they were unaware that the Block Party was happening but were pleasantly surprised.
“We were just playing at the cornhole tournament for intramural over at [the Spaulding Gymnasium] and were walking back to our apartment, saw the food and thought we’d check it out. We were happy to find that the food was free,” said Isbel.
Ryan Pacheco can be contacted at
rpacheco@kscequinox.com
