MayFest takes place Tuesday, April 25

MayFest takes place Tuesday, April 25April 25, 2006SU News ServicesSUnews@syr.edu

Students, faculty, staff and the public are invited to attend MayFest at Syracuse University, a daylong event where more than 1,200 students will present 125 concerts, performances and exhibits; academic discussions and presentations; and special interactive events. Also new for this year is MayFest afterDark, an evening of food, family-friendly entertainment and intellectual stimulation. Classes have been canceled on Tuesday so that students and faculty may take part in MayFest.

The day’s events

MayFest is free and open to the campus community and the public, with free parking available in the West Campus lots: Stadium, Henry, Fine and Standart. Events will take place in various locations on and around the Quad, as well as in the Carrier Dome.

More than 200 events are scheduled, including a variety of dance performances, improvisational and stand-up comedy, music performances, magazine launch parties and presentations of academic research. This year, MayFest will also include events hosted by SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry students.

Events will take place from 8 a.m.-3 p.m. MayFest’s outreach to high school students has increased as well. Many high schools are already registered to attend, some from as far away as New York City, Long Island and New Jersey, and SU has worked with teachers and school administrators to arrange bus parking and other details in order to facilitate teachers bringing students to MayFest as a field trip.

MayFest is made possible in part by WAER-FM. For a full schedule of events, visit http://mayfest.syr.edu.

MayFest afterDark

Originally conceived as a way to let more SU staff and working families in Central New York participate in the excitement of MayFest, the MayFest afterDark concept has expanded to include a variety of audiences, including alumni, senior citizens, parents of SU students and other friends of the University. The event will begin at 4:30 p.m. with dinner on the Quad and musical accompaniment; various amusements and entertainments will follow from 6-9:30 p.m. The events are free and open to the public; dinner requires pre-purchased tickets. Free public parking is available in the West Campus lots, with continuous shuttle bus service to and from the Quad.

The 15 performances presented in the evening will be organized into five “centers” around the Quad, enabling attendees to plan ahead for participation in several events. The centers — Instrumental Music, Choral Music, Science, International and Storytelling — will each feature entertainment and conversation with accomplished groups or speakers.

Presenters and performers include the SU Wind Symphony, the SU Brass Ensemble, the SU Symphony Orchestra, the Black Celestial Choral Ensemble, the University Singers, the SU Women’s Chorus, the Chemistry and Physics Magic Shows, the International Festival, Francis McMillan Parks of Hendricks Chapel and Open Hand Theater. The schedule is designed to appeal to adults as well as children, providing families with sophisticated, engaging entertainment that can be enjoyed by people of all ages.

MayFest afterDark is made possible in part by WCNY. To learn more about MayFest or MayFest afterDark, visit http://mayfest.syr.edu or contact the Soling Program at 443-3133.