Fall Festival crowds small but enthusiastic

Saturday afternoon, College Green was transformed into a concert venue and carnival at the Social Planning and Events Committee’s inaugural Fall Festival.

Although the event’s attendance was small compared to other campus-wide events like Spring Fling, most students agree that it was successful overall.

“Our numbers were not anywhere near the 10,000 undergraduate population,” said College senior and SPEC President Dasha Barannik.

But student leaders agree that the relatively low turnout did not affect the quality of the event.

Undergraduate Assembly chairman and College junior Alec Webley called Fall Festival “fantastic,” adding that it “engaged the entire community.”

SPEC Vice President and College senior Preston Hershorn also called Fall Festival a success, and he suggested that SPEC “build upon our successes” in future years’ Fall Festivals.

Likewise, Hershorn said Fall Festival was not about “matching Spring Fling,” but rather about holding an event that incorporated an “all-campus feel.”

College sophomore and Class of 2012 President Jibran Khan explained that Fall Festival and Fling have two different goals, saying it is not “valid to judge one against the other.” The aim was “to get the ball rolling,” he added.

“It’s not Fling,” Webley agreed.

Although a number of undergraduates said they did not attend the event, for the most part, those who did attend said they had fun.

A few students expressed ambivalence, explaining that Fall Festival was, in their estimation, “okay.”

Others expressed concerns. One student thought Fall Festival “frustrating,” because a number of the booths cost money. Another said the venue was inappropriate because it was held in front of College Hall.

College sophomore Harold Kang said the event was “too focused on fundraising,” and as a result felt less like a Penn tradition — like Fling or Hey Day.

Though Class of 2011 President and College junior Adam Behrens acknowledged that fact, Khan highlighted the “different ambiance” created by the various “locales” around College Green, referring to the booths.

This article has been changed to reflect that yoga did not take place on College Green and that Preston Hershorn is a College senior and the vice president of SPEC. A section of this article has also been removed while facts are verified.

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