Purdue Spring Fest adds health fair, electric vehicles
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Parents and children can learn how to be healthy together and explore electric vehicles during Spring Fest, the annual family festival taking place at Purdue University from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., April 17-18.
In addition to the perennial favorite Entomology Bug Bowl, Purdue's Spring Fest will offer new activities. Those include activities related to the inaugural evGrandPrix and a new kid-focused health fair from the School of Nursing.
"Spring Fest is a fun way for the public to engage with faculty, staff and students through educational activities," said Danica Kirkpatrick, Purdue College of Agriculture events coordinator. "Visitors get the chance to see the lighter side of higher education."
Participating in this year's Spring Fest are Purdue's colleges of Agriculture, Science, Consumer and Family Sciences, Education, Liberal Arts, Engineering and Technology; Purdue's schools of Veterinary Medicine, Nursing and the Krannert School of Management; Discovery Park; and the Indiana University School of Medicine-Lafayette.
As in the past, this year's Bug Bowl will include numerous insect-related activities, along with interesting insect foods.
Bug Bowl events include: Bug Bowl Follies, a variety show featuring individuals presenting their best "insect-inspired" talents, at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Saturday only; Cricket spit-off finals daily at 12:45 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.; and Roach Races daily at 11 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 2 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.
In addition to Bug Bowl, visitors to the College of Agriculture sites at Spring Fest will be able to ride a pony, paint a picture with soil and learn about farm safety. Departments represented at Spring Fest from the College of Agriculture include Agriculture and Biological Engineering, Agriculture Economics, Agronomy, Animal Sciences, Biochemistry, Botany and Plant Pathology, Entomology, Food Science, Forestry and Natural Resources, Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, and Youth Development and Agricultural Education.
The School of Nursing health fair will include activities based on sleep, exercise, mental health, and more. Demonstrations with "SIM Man," a high-tech simulated patient, can be found in the lobby of Stewart Center.
Visitors to Spring Fest also can learn more about the evGrandPrix. Electric vehicles, go-carts that will be in Sunday's race, and remote-controlled cars all can be explored at their location on the north side of the Memorial Mall.
Many participants in Spring Fest will participate in a scavenger hunt. Guests are encouraged to answer scavenger hunt questions found on the Spring Fest Web site from what they learn at different exhibits.
Spring Fest takes place rain or shine. No pets are allowed. For more information and a complete list of Spring Fest activities, visit http://www.purdue.edu/springfest. To download scavenger hunt questions for both festival days, visit http://www.ag.purdue.edu/extension/springfest/Pages/scavenger.aspx
Writer: Jeanne Gibson, 765-494-9113, jegibson@purdue.edu
Source: Danica Kirkpatrick, 765-494-9113, dkirkpat@purdue.edu
Ag Communications: (765) 494-8415;
Steve Leer, sleer@purdue.edu
Agriculture News Page
Related release:
Purdue's