Chips fire up at MAINstage
MAINstage means more than free stuff.
“It gets students out and interacting with organizations and helps them to find their niche on campus,” said Thomas Idema, assistant director of Student Life.
Co-sponsored by On the Fly Productions and Program Board, the event hosted rides, games, food and music Sunday at Rose Ponds.
About 160 Registered Student Organizations and local businesses promoted themselves at the event.
During the event, Campus Dining served 14,465 food items, including chicken, hamburgers, hot dogs and veggie burgers.
Cadillac junior Stephen Foster said he was impressed with the selection.
“They definitely thought of everything,” he said.
The dining staff consisted of 165 employees and about 50 student volunteers.
This year’s MAINstage theme, Circus Carnival, was much more apparent than past years.
“Everything is more interesting this year. At carnivals you see weird and interesting things and everyone is going with that,” said Natalie Davis, a Taylor sophomore.
Many of the fraternities and sororities embraced the theme with tight rope walkers, fire blowers and fortune tellers.
Several hired performers, named Campus Chaos, wowed students by juggling fire, making balloon animals, walking on stilts and walking on glass.
Romeo sophomore Mike F. Phillips worked the Ultimate Frisbee booth. Looking back on his MAINstage experience last year, he said he prefers being on the other side of the table.
“I have to interact and be personal working with people,” Phillips said. “It’s better than just wandering around.”
Main attractions included three rides, a bungee run and a rock wall.
But the main attraction, as always, was the free stuff.
Students filled their bags with everything from live goldfish to Ramen noodles.
Matt Moreau, a freshman from Ontogagon, walked around MAINstage with a large plastic bag filled with giveaway goodies from various RSOs.
“This is a great way to find out what there is to do on campus,” Moreau said. “I’m excited about everything.”
The Apple Computer campus representatives hosted a Dutch apple pie eating contest for an iPod nano.
About 200 people scarfed down pies until the contest went into sudden death overtime and only two remained. Ian Childs, a freshman from Madison Heights, ended up the winner.
“I had to have a lot of concentration. I just focused on eating it all,” he said.
Another CMU tradition, Get Acquainted Day, will take place at 4 p.m. on Wednesday at Warriner Mall. Students can come to meet representatives from departmental offices and student organizations. A picnic and activities will be available to students.
