*Production
*Student Response
*Planning
Dillo Day: Celebrating the Spring
BY STACEY HARMS
At Northwestern, studying is a regular practice and partying is only done on occaision. But on Dillo Day, the entire campus gets together for one big day of festivities.
The Production Side
Dillo Day, sponsored by Mayfest, was held on May 24 this year. And Mayfest said the 64-degree weather helped make the day a success.
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PHOTO BY STACEY HARMS |
"The day was a huge success this year," said Stephanie Rich,
a Mayfest co-chairwoman. "I was so happy with how
the show turned out - the bands were amazing and kids seemed to have a
really good time."
Dillo Day 2003, the 32nd annual day, featured bands on the lakefill for close to 12 hours. The Crystal Method was the big-name band this year. Other bands playing were Blackalicious, Robert Randolph and the Family Band, Idlewild, Steel Train, Troubled Hubble and this year’s Battle of the Bands winner, The Capability.
Rich said everything ran as planned from their end.
"Our production guys were unbelievable and the entire
crew was really on top of things so things ran fairly smoothly,"
she said.
Students React (to top)
Student participation proved that the Mayfest crews were in sync on Dillo Day this year. The sponsoring organization estimates that about 7,000 students were out on the lakefill at some time throughout the day.
And many students say the lakefill was the place to be during the festivities, especially because of the nice weather.
"The sun came out this year," said Nikole Muzzy, a Medill junior. "It was great. I actually got to enjoy time outside and listen to the bands."
"The best part of Dillo Day has got to be the bands," Medill junior Matt Lopas said. "It was so nice to get to sit outside with so many other students and just relax and enjoy the day listening to music."
Other students enjoyed different activities throughout the day. Greg Pasieka had a leg injury and was on crutches during Dillo Day, but he did not let that deter his fun.
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PHOTO BY STACEY HARMS |
"My friends pushed me around in a shopping cart so that I could
party with them," the Weinberg junior said. "It was a good idea.
We went from party to party all over campus and left the shopping cart
outside at each one."
But no matter what they were doing on Dillo Day, students made the day
unique.
"My favorite part was doing cartwheels on the lakefill," Muzzy said. "That's not something you get to do everyday."
Planning Out the Day (to top)
Though most students don't really think about it, a lot of planning went into making Dillo Day what it was this year. It takes more than $100,000 to put on the whole production, and Mayfest spends several months lining up bands and has been planning the day since last summer.
This year's bands were announced May 16, just eight days before Dillo Day. But Rich said it was a necessary decision for Mayfest to hold off telling students.
"Northwestern has a rule that bands cannot be publicized until we have fully executed contracts," the Mayfest co-chairwoman said. "This prevents legal problems stemming from false advertising and, obviously, things fall through, people get sick, change their tour dates, so we would never want to have to cancel an act after we've announced it."
Without rain this year, more students were able to enjoy the bands. And although the day of festivities has not always been what students were looking for, Mayfest is currently makin internal improvements. And Rich has even higher hopes for Dillo Day success next year.
"Mayfest had pretty poor past records up until this year," she said. "Something we've been really careful with is making photocopies of things so planning for the event will be easier and smoother, meaning we'll have more time to make it incredible."
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