FebFest is underway on campus as several events have taken place to boost the campus spirit in the midst of winter. FebFest dates back to 1925 when the first winter carnival took place at Hamilton. Though the excitement for the winter carnival faded in the 1990s, it was revived in the 2000s and continues to be a large part of the winter season at Hamilton. “FebFest encourages students and staff members to reconnect with one another and this beautiful campus,” according to the FebFest website. The events are taking place this year from Monday, Feb. 13 to Sunday, Feb. 26.
The sculpting of the cow ice sculpture kicked off the festivities on Monday, Feb. 13 at 4 p.m. The sculpture was a recreation of this year’s FebFest logo, designed by sophomore Caroline Chapman ’25. However, unlike past years, the sculpture did not survive the duration of FebFest. Just two days after it was sculpted, the ice cow was seemingly destroyed.
FebFest is organized each year by several different organizations that hope to bring excitement back to the community during the winter months. FebFest embraced the Valentine’s Day spirit on Tuesday, Feb. 14, hosting a chocolate tasting event in McEwen, the Banff Mountain Film Festival and a Valentines-themed Trivia Night in the Little Pub.
The Campus Activities Board (CAB) hosted comedian Zainab Johnson on Wednesday, Feb 15 in the Events Barn. Johnson was named a Top 10 Comic to Watch by Variety, and students roared with laughter as she drew on her experience growing up as one of thirteen siblings in a Muslim family for her comedy set. Students returned to the Events Barn for an acoustic coffee house with Theo Kandel on Sunday, Feb. 19, which was followed by a Q&A session with Kandel and Josh Rothestein, who graduated from Hamilton in 2019 and is Kandel’s manager. At both CAB events, attendees were able to find FebFest swag, including hats, stickers, cups, and mugs in addition to the comedy or musical performances.
On Friday, Feb. 17, students flocked to the Sage Rink for the Women’s Ice Hockey Winter Classic. Hamilton Involve gave out free t-shirts to the first 200 people to arrive, and they provided hot chocolate and baked goods for attendees. Students sat in the stands as they watched the game, punctuated by performances from the Figure Skating Club and Tumbling After.
The next day, cooking teams competed in the Little Pub for the annual FebFest Chili Cook-Off or students returned to Sage Rink for Glow Skate where they listened to music, skated with their friends, waved glow sticks and enjoyed cookies and hot chocolate provided by Sadove Late Nite and Pretty Tough.
FebFest still has a lot in store for this year’s festivities. Students can listen to the talk Welcoming Change with Angela Davis on Thursday, go snow tubing with CAB or go to Margharitaville on Friday, stop by the Beer Tasting on Saturday at the Little Pub, watch the Battle of the Bands on Saturday or make a stuffed animal on Sunday.
