April 4, 2002 Bugs, bunnies and engineers: Purdue's Spring Fest is backWEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. Warmer weather, birds singing and crickets chirping are more than just signs of the season at Purdue University; they also signal the return of Spring Fest, the annual weekend when the public is invited to campus for educational and fun activities. Spring Fest events take place Saturday, April 13, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday, April 14, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., on the Purdue campus in West Lafayette. All events are free. Departments from the Purdue schools of Agriculture, Veterinary Medicine, Consumer and Family Sciences, Science and Engineering are taking part this year. "There's literally something for everybody, no matter what you're interested in," said Dana Neary, Spring Fest event coordinator. "When you come, plan to spend the whole day." Last year, Spring Fest drew an estimated 30,000 people. One of the crowd favorites is the Department of Entomology's Bug Bowl, an assortment of activities designed to increase appreciation of insects. "The cockroach races, cricket spitting, insect petting and insect eating all the events are equally popular," said Tom Turpin, professor of entomology and a Bug Bowl creator. Another popular attraction is the 89th annual Horticulture Show, which features a contemporary gardening theme this year. Horticulture students designed and built the exhibit, which showcases backyard entertaining, bird and butterfly gardening, and art and sculptures. Plant sales and children's activities also are part of the show. The Schools of Engineering will officially participate in Spring Fest for the first time this year with Envision: The Engineering Open House. Engineering facilities, organizations, students and faculty will be showcased. Lab tours, music, giveaways and food will be available. Engineering activities are on Saturday only. 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 1-888-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: "Boiler Barnyard" will feature pig ultrasounds, sheep shearing and animal trivia games with prizes. A walk-through maze designed by the agronomy and botany and plant pathology departments will test your knowledge of agriculture. Learn about opportunities for international travel, identify items from nature and pet a few rabbits at the 4-H Youth Development display. The Associated Landscape Contractors of America's display, Gardening Spotlight, includes a kitchen garden with information on all the plants displayed. Peter Rabbit will help children plant seedlings to take home and grow. Build a dinosaur, create fossil artwork and explore weather forecasting at the Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences exhibit. The Department of Biological Sciences will have a tidal pool full of sea urchins, sand dollars and starfish to handle. Displays on the biological development of chickens, sea urchins and fly eyes will be featured. Coloring books and balloons will be given away. The School of Consumer and Family Sciences will feature Prime Time with Infants and Toddlers, presenting simple activities to support a child's development. A geography challenge presented by the Department of Hospitality and Tourism Management and a Financial Fitness display on money management also will be offered. View undergraduate research displays and talk to the students who designed them at the School of Science site on Saturday. Science facilities will be open to tour. Survival 101 is the theme of the Biochemistry Club exhibit. Children and adults can learn about organism's survival mechanisms, such as camouflage, bioluminescence and pheromone use on Saturday. The theme for the 39th annual School of Veterinary Medicine Open House is 2-by-2 in 2002. A petting zoo, exotic animal exhibit and live spaying demonstration are some of the many highlights Saturday. The Department of Forestry and Natural Resources will offer animal track identification, a working sawmill and seedling tree sales. Children can climb Ms. Shingle Oak. All forestry activities take place on Saturday. The Marketing Madness display presented by the agricultural economics department includes a miniature golf course, the Matching Marketing game and the wheel of marketing. The activities are Saturday only. The "Boiler Brick Bowl" features Purdue landscape architecture and landscape horticulture students taking brick carillons from drawing board to mortarboard. The contest runs from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. Classic and modern tractors will be on display at the agricultural and biological engineering site on Saturday. Children can ride through the pedal-tractor obstacle course and receive a farm safety coloring book. Attendees can make a personalized can bank with the Department of Food Science's canning press, watch cotton candy making and visit a space food display on Saturday. The Robert L. Ringel Gallery will be open during Spring Fest. The gallery is in the Purdue Memorial Union and is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days. Campus events on April 12-14
|