Despite a rainy forecast and ongoing campus construction, organizers for this year’s Spring Fling insist that rain or shine, the event will be a success. This Saturday’s event will mark the culmination of months of planning, according to Sandi Dube, the vice president for University Programming.
‘I’m looking forward to the whole event,’ she said. ‘I’m really excited for the bands and the new rock climbing wall.’
The evening concert serves to close out the event with a bang as the wildly energetic band Head Automatica is slated to open for Reel Big Fish, a popular ska group. Local bands and student groups will also perform live throughout the day.
Additionally ‘ with forecasts calling for showers all day ‘ the weather has been something organizers have had to plan around.
‘We’re being optimistic about the weather,’ she said. ‘Last year they predicted rain, and it didn’t.’
This year, organizers have also had to factor in the inconvenience created by construction in front of the New University Union. In previous years the space had been used for concession stands and student group tables. But since a large portion of the area between the New Union and Engineering Building is now fenced off, some changes had to be made.
‘We’re doing pretty well with moving everything down more towards the Student Wing,’ said Dube. ‘Last year was the first year we had stuff down that far because we had mtvU [booths]. Since they’re not here this year, it’s opened up a lot more space.’
The mtvU Village ‘ a series of booths promoting products like Neutrogena and Old Spice ‘ came along with the mtvU Campus Invasion Tour, which brought bands Motion City Soundtrack, Hellogoodbye and Straylight Run to perform last year. One concert-goer was taken to the hospital when he collapsed during the Motion City Soundtrack performance and began to seize, apparently from a pre-existing condition.
Dube believes that this year’s Spring Fling, despite complications from the weather, will be something the entire Binghamton University community can enjoy.
‘It’s an event that the entire school seems to get excited about and attend,’ she said.