“Don’t eat the yellow snow.” It sounds like something someone’s parents might say to them when they grab a handful of the fluffy white or yellow powder at a young age, but this year it takes on a new meaning as the slogan for the 2006 Winter Carnival.
“Students are going to have a good time,” said Jim Brockpahler, one of the faculty advisers for the University Activities Commission. “I recommend students try doing as much as they can, because there’s always something for everyone.”
The Carnival will begin today and continue until Sunday. The festival will feature a wide variety of events spanning from movies to concerts to mattress races.
The Carnival will kick off at 10 a.m. today with a festival-long scavenger hunt that ends at 3 p.m. Sunday. Students can enjoy free chili and try snowshoeing from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on the Campus Mall, Higherground Club Manager Karen Schupp said. If there is snow on the ground, dog sledding will immediately follow chili and snowshoeing, she said.
UAC will be showing the movie, “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind,” starring Jim Carrey, at 6 and 8:30 p.m. every night over the course of the festival. The cost for students with their UW-Eau Claire Blugold ID is $1 and $2 for Eau Claire faculty and International Film Society members, Schupp said.
The Mr. Freeze competition is slated to begin at 7 p.m. at Higherground. The pageant will give one lucky guy the chance to be crowned Mr. Freeze 2006 based on talent, question and answer, winter apparel and formal wear, Schupp said.
“Higherground has gained a lot of popularity this year,” she said. “We’re really expecting a good turnout of participants and spectators.”
Friday will begin with a snow – or, if there is no snow, marshmallow – sculpting contest in lower campus. The two-night Singer/Songwriter Slam will also take place on Friday. The event begins at 8 p.m. in The Cabin, Brockpahler said. The competition is new event in the Winter Carnival.
The Mr. Freeze Dance Party will begin at 10 p.m. at Higherground with free admission.
“The Rocky Horror Picture Show” will also take place on Friday night at 11:59 p.m. in the Council Fire Room. The film costs $3 for students with their Blugold and $5 for International Film Society students
and faculty.
The Winter Carnival Games kick off Saturday’s events. Some of the events include mattress races and human dog sledding, Schupp said.
The annual outdoor recreation trip also takes place on Saturday.
“The Saturday to Sunday trip to Camp Manitou gives students the opportunity to relax a bit and get outside,” said senior Mike Major. “Wisconsin is a great place to live because of the outdoors and north woods.”
Major is a three-year veteran of Winter Carnival camping trips and organized the event this year.
“It would be nice to get some snow, but if not we’ll be hiking a lot. We’re hoping to try some ice fishing as well.”
The trip offers students the chance to do some outdoor cooking, ice skating and snowshoeing, Assistant Director of Recreation Dan Langlois said.
Langolis mainly works with the Outdoors Department, which is sponsoring the trip.
The ‘It’s Your Duty, Shake Your Bootie’ Dance Competition at 10 p.m. takes place in Higherground, Schupp said.
Sunday begins with the UAC sponsored Valentine Card Making Service Project at Higherground. All cards or crafts made will go to local nursing homes, Schupp said.
All in all, organizers are excited for this year’s Winter Carnival.
“I think (Winter Carnival) provides students with fun, out-of-the ordinary things to do,” said Schupp. “I also feel the creativity and ambition behind some of the event planning is an implication of the kind of school spirit we see at UW-Eau Claire.”
