Winter Carnival 2013 is coming soon to break up the monotony of winter living on campus. Scheduled for Feb. 20-23, this long-standing tradition encourages students to get out and enjoy the snow season, as well as the many fun winter festivities available on campus. Sponsored by the SU Traditions Commission within the Office of Student Activities, this year’s Winter Carnival theme is “ There’s SNOW much to do!”
“Winter Carnival is a University tradition that is designed to make the cold Syracuse winters a little more exciting,” says Danielle Matfess, senior accounting major and member of the Traditions Commission. “We hope the events encourage students to leave their rooms and do something fun with their friends, despite the cold weather.”
The Winter Carnival events begin on Wednesday, Feb. 20, from 11-2 p.m. in the Schine Student Center Atrium with free hot chocolate, giveaways, food and fun. Later that evening, after the Orange take on the Providence Friars in the Carrier Dome, students can enjoy the ever-popular “Trivia Night” at 9 p.m. in 304 Schine with lots of free food and tons of prizes.
On Thursday, Feb. 21, the festivities include free tastings from the chili cook-off on the HBC patio starting at 11 a.m., along with moonlight snowshoeing and the highly anticipated dance party with DJ Pauly D at 8 p.m. in Goldstein Auditorium. Activities continue throughout the day on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 21-22, with the winter competition relay on the Quad, Totally Fabulous Drag Show, glow-in-the-dark ice skating and laser tag. A full list of events, times and locations can be found on the winter carnival website: studentactivities.syr.edu/traditions/winter-carnival.html, or on Twitter @SUTraditions.
Dating back to 1933, Winter Carnival originated as a holiday before the onset of mid-term exams and a way to break up the winter months. Some traditional Winter Carnival events included a Snow Ball, complete with a Carnival Queen to oversee it; a snow-sculpting contest; and winter sports, such as skiing, skating and hockey.
For questions about Winter Carnival 2013, contact Sarah Ross Cappella, associate director in the Office of Student Activities, at cappella@syr.edu.
