On Sunday afternoon, students gathered in the Peace Quad and Old Dickinson Community to celebrate diversity at iFest+, an outdoor festival and the most recent incarnation of the International Festival, which began in 2012.

The event featured interactive experiences and live performances, all aimed at showcasing multiculturalism at Binghamton University.

According to Jermel McClure, Jr., the Student Association (SA) vice president for multicultural affairs (VPMA) and a junior majoring in political science, his office helped plan the festivities and he hopes to contribute to future events celebrating the diversity of the student body.

“Events like iFest+ are really important for our campus community because they allow us to come together and celebrate our differences,” McClure said. “I look forward to many more campus-wide, inclusive events.”

The festival was a collaboration between clubs, associations, fraternities and businesses. Its sponsors included the SA VPMA’s Office, Creativity+, Newing College Council, Dickinson Town Council, Mountainview College Council, Off Campus College Council, the President’s Office, Delta Epsilon Psi, HauteNovi, Enactus, Intercultural Awareness Committee, the Multicultural Resource Center and CConnect.

Students enjoyed a car-smash fundraiser — in which they paid $1 each to smash a car with a hammer — bouncy houses, a dunk tank and an interactive art installation where students could spray-paint their own messages. The event also included food, two stages with a variety of live musical performances and Holi, a Hindu celebration also known as the festival of colors, marking the arrival of spring.

The event also served as a fundraiser for the Broome County Urban League, a local nonprofit that encourages economic self-reliance, parity and power for minorities and the urban poor.

Neil Harris, co-founder of Creativity+ and a senior majoring in business administration, said they chose this organization because of the important work it does for the local community.

“The purpose of the event is to celebrate roots, and this year we wanted to make it also about celebrating our roots here in Binghamton,” Harris said. “To do this, we have made it a fundraiser for a local nonprofit called the Broome County Urban League. They are fantastic, they help empower the urban poor through certifications, job training, an after-school program and more.”

Jazmine Samuels, a member of Ladies Owning their Curls, Kinks and Straights and a senior majoring in political science, tabled at the festival and said events like this give her club an opportunity to spread its message to students.

“We decided to come to get more exposure for our organization as well as show the campus what we have to offer as diverse students,” Samuels said. “This is a huge event, so I think more people will get to know multicultural ideas.”

According to Kayla Green, a member of the Caribbean Student Association and a sophomore majoring in human development, since iFest+ took place on the same day as the admitted students open house, her club was able to reach prospective students.

“We’re here to help educate and inform the students about our culture and to help retain it on campus because we are a small population,” Green said. “There’s so many people on campus today — new people who are coming in and also parents — so it’s very helpful to raise awareness.”

Harris said iFest+ is only the beginning of the University’s end-of-year programming, and students have a lot to look forward to as the semester closes.

“This week is iFest+, then we have WHRW’s Moefest, which is going to be epic and we cap it off with what will be the best Spring Fling in recent memory,” Harris said. “Can you imagine if every year students can get excited not just for one or two festivals, but for a whole month full of festivals?”