The Summer Festival was hosted by University Admissions and organized by Brandilyn Bolden, Associate Director of Events and Campus Visits. It lasted from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. at the Bowl behind the Student Community Center. Once freshmen signed in at the registration tent and received their complimentary bag, towel, and lanyard they had free access to a variety of games, live musical entertainment, and food vendors to choose from. After registering with the admissions workers, freshmen were invited to sign the Summer Festival poster which was stationed at the wooden stage. However, the day was hot and humid as is characteristic of Florida summers; there were mist tents stationed at various places across the Bowl for this very reason. Despite the weather of the day everyone who attended expressed how much they enjoyed the festival.
“The festival has been a lot of fun and I look forward to making friends at Saint Leo,” said Kaitlyn McWilliams, an incoming biomedical major.
“[The Summer Festival] was really successful,” said Edson O’Neale, the Director of Student Activities, “the students [were]being really engaged.”
Two of the most popular attractions at the Summer Festival were the tie-dye shirts and the art contest. Most guests took part in these two attractions and the tables were often surrounded. Half way through the event the tie-dye station had to close because it ran out of supplies for the guests. Other games and events included an inflatable twister tournament that was placed just in front of the music stage and was also popular. The tournaments were held in five rounds and the winner at the end of the five rounds won a prize. There were also games such as the corn hole toss, volleyball and water balloon volleyball, tug-of-war, two giant Jengas were set up, as well as two giant Connect-the-Dots that were popular with the children and students.
Four food vendor trucks, free of charge, which included frozen yogurt, sandwiches, mini-burgers, and shaved ice, were parked along the outer edge of the festivities. There was also an Italian American Latin Fusion vendor and a Hawaiian coffee and smoothie vendor with various bins of soda and water settled around the area for the thirsty. All the while, the event was filled with music from opposite ends of the Bowl. Closest to Lake Jovita was where the DJ was set up on the music stage. Right next to the Dining Hall and Hawaiian smoothie vendor was a live band and covered seating.
For the students that are looking forward to dorm life on campus, there was a raffle contest sponsored by Bath & Body Works. Once entered, students had a chance to win a comforter set, one designed for boys or one designed for girls. If that was not enough fun and excitement there was also a photo booth set up near the cafeteria for people to commemorate their memories of the Summer Festival.
Once 3 p.m. came around the Summer Festival came to a close and guests began leaving with their memories of the festival. Saint Leo University looks forward to greeting the incoming freshmen once the fall semester begins.
