March 31, 2005
Purdue's Spring Fest a fun prescription for spring fever
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Spring Fest will dominate Purdue University's campus on April 16-17 with a variety of free and fun activities, including a new interactive aviation van used by the U.S. Army that allows visitors to experience flying a helicopter.
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Events take place Saturday, April 16, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday, April 17, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Warm, dry weather last year drew a record 40,000 people to the weekend activities, said Spring Fest event coordinator Danica Kirkpatrick.
"We're hoping for the same kind of weather this year," Kirkpatrick said. "But with all these different schools and colleges contributing, it won't matter what the weather is because people will find there's so many other things to think and learn about."
Traditional favorites, like the School of Veterinary Medicine's annual open house on Saturday, April 16, will appeal to animal lovers with Frisbee-catching dogs and a dog that herds ducks. The Bug Bowl will be back as part of the Department of Entomology's events.
The aviation van, brought to Purdue by the Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps, is an 18-wheel tractor-trailer that is self-contained and climate controlled. Features include flight exhibits for the Apache and the Kiowa Warrior, an ammunition display, an aircraft engine display and an aviation flight virtual reality area.
The Spring Fest Web site includes information about events, a map of the sites, activities for children and pictures from last year's event. For more information on Spring Fest activities, call (888) EXT-INFO (398-4636) or visit the Web site.
Spring Fest activities listed below will take place on both Saturday and Sunday, unless otherwise noted:
Department of Entomology.
Location: in front of and across the street from the Agricultural Administration building and inside Smith Hall.
• Cricket spitting contest.
• Cockroach races.
• Insect crafts and face painting.
• Honey bee exhibit and honey tasting.
• Dishes to taste made with insects.
• Insect petting zoo.
• Observation zoo with exotic live insects.
• Butterfly exhibit.
• Caterpillar canter (six-legged human caterpillar race).
• Insect activity center – through a microscope, observe unique and exotic preserved insects.
• Cake decorating contest using insect shapes/insect motifs.
College of Agriculture.
Location: in front of Agricultural Administration Building.
• The science of flight and food.
• Nature and animals; pet a rabbit.
• Investigate lifelong learning opportunities available through Purdue Cooperative Extension.
• Students will be on hand to talk about campus life and opportunities in the College of Agriculture.
Purdue Chapter of the Associated Landscape
Contractors of America.
Location: in front of Pfendler Hall of Agriculture.
• Hot dogs, burgers, chips, sodas and cotton candy for sale.
Department of Animal Sciences.
Location: in front of Smith Hall.
• Live animals.
• Aquaculture display.
• Interactive educational computer software.
• Sheep shearing demonstrations.
• Horse demonstrations.
• Microorganisms from a cow's stomach.
• Coloring art contests.
• Information handouts.
• Education displays for consumer products.
• Animal trivia game with prizes.
• Hamburgers, hot dogs, soft drinks and ice cream for sale.
Departments of Agronomy and Botany
and Plant Pathology.
Location: in front of Lilly Hall of Life Science.
• Learn about plants and the environment.
• Plant a soil masterpiece.
• Shell, grind and take home corn.
• Face painting and free balloons.
• Paint with soil.
• Soil texture – it's all in the feel.
• Puzzle dig, turf putting and a petting zoo.
• Antique equipment, perennial weeds and mushroom madness.
• Food and beverages for sale.
The Department of Biological Sciences.
Location: in the Lilly Hall of Life Sciences.
• Viruses and proteins and how their structures are determined.
• Chicken and sea urchin embryos.
• The development of a fly's eye.
• Electrocardiogram demonstration.
Army Reserve Officer Training Corps.
Location: University Drive near the Biochemistry Building.
• Learn about Army career opportunities, tuition assistance, ROTC program benefits and educational events.
Agricultural and Biological Engineering
(Saturday activities only).
Location: in front of the Hanson Life Sciences
Research Building.
• Win a children's playhouse built during the weekend.
• Pedal-power tractor obstacle course for kids to steer through with a free farm-safety coloring book.
• Color with soybean crayons.
• Popcorn and balloons.
• Test your sense of smell
Department of Biochemistry
(Saturday activities only).
Location: on Agricultural Mall behind Whistler Hall of Agricultural Research.
• Discover how biochemistry helps the agricultural world.
• Explore how researchers use the latest advancements to give plants and animals resistance to disease, pests and weather.
Department of Agricultural Economics
(Saturday activities only).
Location: on Agricultural Mall
behind Whistler Hall of Agricultural Research.
• Play Matching Marketing to identify characters from famous brands.
• Try matching farm products to their end consumer products.
• Play the import/export game – where do goods come from?
• Play the wheel of marketing game.
Department of Forestry and Natural Resources
(Saturday activities only).
Location: on Agricultural Mall
behind the Forest Products Building.
• Climb a tree.
• Name that tree – wood and leaf identification.
• Router sign sales.
• Working sawmill exhibit.
• Chainsaw carver.
• Live fish displays.
• Smokey Bear.
• Careers in forestry and natural resources.
Department of Food Science
(Saturday activities only).
Location: in front of Food Science Building.
• Watch the making of cotton candy.
• Mystery drink challenge – use your five senses to determine the mystery drink flavor.
Boiler Brick Bowl
(Saturday activities only).
Location: in front of Food Science Building.
• Purdue landscape design students compete against teams from other universities from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. with winners to be announced at 3:30 p.m. Finished products on display Sunday.
Department of Horticulture
and Landscape Architecture.
Location: Horticulture Building.
• Water features.
• Retaining walls.
• Paver patios.
• A variety of plant materials.
• Plant sales.
• Children's activities.
• A greenhouse filled with flowers and bedding plants.
• Students to answer questions.
School of Veterinary Medicine
(Saturday activities only).
Location: Lynn Hall of Veterinary Medicine.
• Duck-herding and Frisbee-catching dogs.
• Live animal spay demo.
• Petting zoo and exotic animal exhibit.
• Veterinary Medicine and Veterinary Technology student exhibits and admission information.
• 4-H veterinary science exhibits.
• Veterinary school lectures and demonstrations.
• Food tent and merchandise sales.
College of Science.
Location: Purdue Memorial Mall.
• Examine rocks and minerals.
• Create a swirling column of air in a tornado chamber.
• Have your photo taken in a hurricane or tornado.
• Cook pickles with electrodes.
• Learn about static electricity.
• Experience hands-on science activities that let you sink a boat.
• Eat liquid nitrogen ice cream.
• Learn about sound.
School of Consumer and Family Sciences.
Location: Purdue Memorial Mall.
• The Grand Prize Game – earn play money, then spend it on creepy-crawly prizes
• Infants' and toddlers' story time.• Make a buggy craft to take home.
• Jump in the CFS Student Council Moonwalk.
• Dine at the Fountainside Café.
• Meet and talk with CFS Ambassadors about career opportunities.
• Play Wheel of Fortune.
Purdue Alumni Association.
Location: Purdue Memorial Mall.
• Bug rubbings.
• Child ID kits.
• Learn about the services and programs offered to alumni and friends through the association.
College of Technology 40th anniversary celebration.
Location: Purdue Memorial Mall.
• Measure your reaction time with the electrical and computer engineering technology tester.
• Build a house or tall building using building construction management techniques.
• Aviation Technology highlights the Women's Air Race Classic to take place in June at Purdue.
Purdue University Press.
Location: Purdue Memorial Mall.
• Press a unique souvenir card on an early 1900s hand-printing press.
• Free postcards.
• Drawing for a complete set of the new Hunter Boys book series.
Krannert School of Management
(Saturday activities only).
Location: Purdue Memorial Mall.
• A putting green for a chance to win gifts.
• Tours of Jerry S. Rawls Hall every hour from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Purdue Summer Camps
(Saturday activities only).
Location: Purdue Memorial Mall.
• Visual displays, exhibits and hands-on activities.
College of Education
(Saturday activities only).
Location: Purdue Memorial Mall.
• Learn how to make the biggest bubble possible.
• Create a freedom shield.
• Take the Constitution quiz.
• Test your knowledge of Purdue trivia.
College of Liberal Arts
(Saturday activities only).
Location: Purdue Memorial Mall.
• Learn about new projects.
• Alumni can register for a giveaway and sign up to volunteer for the alumni board.
College of Engineering.
Location: Purdue Memorial Mall.
• Showcase of College of Engineering's schools.
• Engineering student organizations.
• View displays and information.
• Hands-on educational activities.
Purdue Galleries.
Location: in Stewart Center and Purdue Memorial Union.
• An installation of digital works by Brazilian conceptual artist Fabiano Gonper in the Stewart Center Gallery, adjacent to Fowler Hall
Spring Fest Showcase
(Saturday activities only).
Location: in Stewart Center.
• Noon. Entomology Quiz Bowl, featuring elementary school teams battling over mind-boggling questions, presented by the Department of Entomology.
• 2 p.m. The Insect Magic Show, featuring magical illusions and engaging demonstrations of unexplained phenomena of the insect world.
Writer: Maggie Morris, (765) 494-2432, maggiemorris@purdue.edu
Source: Danica Kirkpatrick, (765) 494-9113, dkirkpat@purdue.edu
Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu
PHOTO CAPTION:
Maria Yim, 4, at left, and her sister Logan, 7, of Muncie, Ind., got a warm and fuzzy feeling from tomato horn worms at last year's Bug Bowl insect petting zoo, sponsored by Purdue's entomology department. The insect encounters are one of hundreds of fun and educational events that will take place at the university's annual Spring Fest on April 16 and 17. (Purdue News Service file photo/Dave Umberger)
A publication-quality file photo is available at http://news.uns.purdue.edu/images/+2005/springfest-adv05.jpg
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