Spring Weekend brings together fashion, food, musical performances

Students had access to free food and Coca Cola sponsored attractions while they listened to a professional band and their fellow students perform.

Ciara Serpa Staff Writer

Iona held its 2018 Spring Weekend from April 26 to 29, featuring events such as the Fashion Show, Gael Jam and the Spring Concert.

Gael Activities Board sponsored the events with the Office of Student Development, Student Government Association, the Office of Residential Life, the Fashion Club, the Office of Mission and Ministry and the Black Student Union.

The International Fair and the Around the World Café, where students could try food from different cultures, started off the weekend.

Gael Guts—where teams from each residential building and a commuter team competed on physical and mental challenges— ran in the LaPenta parking lot on Friday. Friday night featured the fourth annual fashion show sponsored by the Fashion Club, which showcased local and alumni designers alongside student designers.

“It’s really cool and an amazing experience,” sophomore Kieran Regan, who modeled in the show, said of his first experience in the fashion show. “You get to see people with completely different tastes in style of clothing all come together and make one cohesive show.”

Freshman Brianna Marchionda went to the show to see her friends modeling.

“It’s so exciting seeing everything come together,” she said. “I know everyone has been working very hard so it’s nice that it turned out successful.”

GAB and the OMM invited students to perform songs and participate in Gael Jam on Saturday. Ziplining, henna tattoos, free food and other attractions were available at the event. The night ended with the Spring Weekend Party, hosted by BSU. The festivities ended with the A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie concert on Sunday night.

GAB Co-Chair senior Amanda Cifelli detailed the type of planning that goes into an event like this.

“We start brain storming as soon as the previous Spring Weekend ends, but we really dive in during the month of October,” Cifelli said. “We work with a middle agent who helps put all the pieces together, such as vibe, budget, availability, mission consistency and contracts.”

Cifelli said that the group looks to events from the past, both successes and failures, to decide which events to host during the weekend.

“We work as an e-board, with the Office of Student Development and our advisor, as well as our general members to get a good idea of what students are interested in doing on campus,” she said.

Cifelli also explained how the school was able to secure a high-profile artist, such as A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie, whose single “Drowning” recently became triple-platinum.

“Everywhere we went, we heard someone listening to his songs, talking about him, or interested in going to a concert at another venue,” Cifelli said. “It worked out perfectly for us, so we just had to move forward with it. This is the first time I’ve ever seen or heard of that a spring concert is sold out.”

Students said they were not disappointed by the performance.

 “I loved the experience of a concert on my own campus, with all my friends,” Regan said.

Freshman Briana Mathelier said that Spring Weekend came at a good time.

“It was a great way to bring the Iona community together, especially before finals,” she said.