Fall Fest

Fall Fest is an annual event held before the first day of classes at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. New and returning students gather on the Sunday before the start of the new school year, where they can explore the various booths run by student organizations, sample free foods from a range of local vendors, and view performances by several of the University’s own music and dance groups. In addition to the presentations, a couple of the University’s sports teams make an appearance to rally the students for the upcoming games. Over the years, Fall Fest has developed into a large-scale event that takes a great deal of precise planning by both faculty and students.
History
Thirty students were arrested in the fall of 1996 as a result of partying on Big Frat Court before classes began. This upset both the University and the surrounding community. In an attempt to prevent such an event from happening again, administrators from the Division of Student Affairs asked students for ideas on how "this negative tradition could be turned into a positive tradition". The overwhelming majority of responses included the following criteria for a successful University-sponsored event: free food, engagement in activities, and being held late at night. It is estimated that 4,500 to 5,000 people attended the first Fall Fest (First Fall Fest Block...); in 2011, it is believed that over 20,000 students attended (Luse interview). The community has been very cooperative with the University's efforts to curb illegal activities that are associated with large private parties (Luse interview).
Planning and Organization
Planning for Fall Fest begins in the spring of each year (Sacks interview). Committees from organizations on campus and in the community come together to coordinate all of the minute details that go into planning such a large-scale event. For more than fifteen years, Donald Luse, the former Director of Student Affairs, led the process. As the Director of Student Affairs, he led a committee that included representatives from Carolina Dining Services, Campus Recreation, Athletics, the General Alumni Association, Public Safety, and many others.
Businesses are very eager to have a space at this event because there are thousands of potential new customers (Luse interview). However, "it is not a free-for-all," as Mr. Luse puts it. Local merchants can buy a space, and University Departments can pay a discounted price for a space. Student organizations only need documentation proving that they are affiliated with the University to reserve a table. Lauren Sacks, the Assistant Director for Student Learning and Activities, said that "student organizations do self-advertising". Student organizations are able to pass out brochures and free merchandise to get other students excited about participating in extra-curriculars at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Fall Fest is held exclusively for the students of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (Luse interview). The event is not advertised to the surrounding community. However, as the event has grown, it has attracted people from outside of the University.
Food
Carolina Dining Services has been a major partner since the first Fall Fest. CDS is responsible for coordinating all of the free food that is given away. Vendors are told that they must provide at least 3,000 portions of food. In the University's contract with the beverages company, it is stated that the distribution of free soft drinks at Fall Fest is mandatory. The cost of the free food has been estimated to be around $100,000. The organizers have problems with rationing the free food. With thousands of hungry students, it all disappears by 11 pm. Mr. Luse has observed that "bagels are the last items to go, while pizza is the first".
Entertainment
The performers and performances are comprised entirely of students and student groups. Mr. Luse says that this "showcase of the student talent" is a chance for them to show other students what they do and to recruit new students to audition for their groups. Two stages are set up so that the maximum amount of performances may be shown. Some notable groups that have performed annually at Fall Fest include:
* Tar Heel Voices
* Harmonyx
* The UNC Clef Hangers
* The UNC Loreleis
* UNC Achordants
* Kamikazi Dance Group
* Star Heels Dance Team
Athletics
The coaches and some players from several varsity teams come out and speak for a few minutes to get the students excited for the upcoming seasons. The freshman recruits are introduced, and the coaches encourage both new and returning students to attend as many games as they can throughout the year.
Campus Recreation uses Hooker Field to promote participation in club sports and healthy living. Students can watch demonstrations by the numerous club teams or participate in carnival-like games (UNC News Services), such as the three-point shooting contest or dodgeball.
Safety
Safety is a big concern for Fall Fest. The organizers worked out an agreement with the local community to close South Road at 5:00 pm the day of the event, and to reopen it at 5:00 am the following morning. More than $8,000 are spent on safety measures.
Evolution
Fall Fest has evolved since it was first held in 1997. It was originally intended as a "safe, nonalcoholic alternative" (?) to the parties that were typically held on Big Frat Court the Sunday before classes began. The following is the event's modern purpose statement:
The Chancellor has become more involved in the event since its debut. Now, the Chancellor acts as a host by welcoming students to the event and introducing the Student Body President, the Provost and Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, and the coaches of several varsity teams.
Mr. Luse said that the organizers try to make Fall Fest "as green an event as possible" (Luse interview). There are volunteers to ensure that as many things are properly recycled as possible (Luse interview). Vendors are requested to pass out their items in packaging that can be recycled (Nike grant). Every year, the goal for Fall Fest is to "stick with the same basic principles, but make it a little different every time" (Luse interview). A few ideas that have been tossed around include: bringing in big name bands, giveaways, food trucks, carnival rides, and a Midnight Breakfast (Luse interview). However, the event's organizers have found that these "extras" are un-necessary because the students enjoy the sense of community created by the emphasis on local talent and vendors (Luse interview).
Fall Fest 2012
Weather is a big issue for this outdoor event. There are too many people to move everything inside, and the set-up takes several hours. As a result of bad weather, Fall Fest 2012 was cancelled. Ms. Sacks, who was a key organizer for the event this year, said that "this is only the second time in 16 years that the event has been cancelled". Perishable foods were sent to residence halls, while pre-packaged food was given away at the "mini Fall Fests" that were held in the Pit (Luse interview). An interview with junior Kate Fedder reveals the one of the results of the cancellation. "My sister, who is a freshman, has had a lot of trouble finding out exactly which student organizations on campus she might be interested in" (Fedder interview). She credits Fall Fest with her involvement in both the Daily Tar Heel and intramural volleyball (Fedder interview).

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