Photo courtesy of wakestudentunion.com
Spring is here — the flowers are budding, the sun is shining and Springfest is just getting warmed up. According to the Student Union homepage,“Springfest is an annual week-long celebration of Spring” which culminates in the wonderful Wake Forest tradition of Shag on the Mag. This year, Springfest’s theme is “Sail into Springfest”, which is illuminated during the week with activities such as the “marketplace marina” and “Wake beach” on Davis field on the Thursday before Shag on the Mag. Ania Kirollos, a transfer sophomore, can’t wait until the weather clears up and the campus becomes alive! “I came from the University of Miami so I wasn’t prepared for all the cold and the constant studying. I just recently heard about Springfest, which was something that UM never had anything similar to, so I’m really excited to participate in it for the first time!”
Amongst all of the wonderful activities that Student Union is providing for studets, Shag on the Mag is by far the most memorable. This tradition, which was begun eight years ago, is the annual event that helps the week-long Springfest end with a bang. Shagging has always been a Southern tradition, but because so many Wake Forest students come from the North, it is a tradition that was not always so alive on campus. In 2005, then Springfest chairman, Joseph Bumgarner, innovatively decided that a dance that was open to everyone and was conveniently located on the Mag Quad, would liven up WFU’s Southern spirit. Bumgarner also thought that this would bring the Wake community closer together. Since its foundation, this event has become an icon for the University and a main conversation point on campus tours.
This year, sophomore Caylin Iannota is the Student Union Springfest Programming Chair. She accepted the position in March of last year and has been planning events for the week of Springfest ever since. Iannota is extremely excited to see her hard work pay off, described Shag on the Mag as “very popular event amongst the student body”. This year, the event will take place from 10 p.m. until 2 a.m. and the Embers, a Shagging band, will be performing.
The theme of this year’s Springfest is new and very exciting. The famous Mag quad tent will be covered in nautical decorations and as Iannota described, everyone will have the feeling of being out at sea.
“I encourage students to take part in Shag on the Mag, because it is a Wake Forest tradition,” Iannota said. “Shag on the Mag gives students the opportunity to dress up and do something different in comparison to all the other weekends at Wake.”
Not only is Shag on the Mag a great night of dancing and food, but it is a tradition that, because of its more recent development, is dependent upon the current students of Wake Forest for its lasting impact. “It is a great opportunity to spend time with all of their friends and also see how special the event is,” Iannota stated. “Shag on the Mag is very popular and several alumni come back, which shows how special it is for all students!”
Tickets went on sale on March 27 and are $20. Every student is encouraged to put down the books and enjoy the week of wonderful weather and campus life that Student Union has worked so hard on.