From Feb. 7 to 20, Hamilton’s winter carnival, FebFest, will provide students an opportunity to step back from their dormitory windows and take part in a number of winter activities on campus. This past week, the Campus Activities Board (CAB) hosted comic Ali Siddiq and singer Adam Melchor, the campus welcomed the arrival of Wally the Walrus and students participated in a plethora of activities.
Hamilton’s FebFest is a years-old tradition dating back to 1925, when Hamilton first introduced the concept of the winter carnival to students. It was intended to bring students and faculty together and encourage them to appreciate campus life to its fullest. Though the desire for the winter festival waned in the 90s, the carnival was reintroduced in the early 2000s as the FebFest Hamilton knows today.
FebFest kicked off with the sculpting of Wally the Walrus last Monday. As Stan, a self-proclaimed “natural who likes to build and create,” dug into the 300 pounds of ice, exclamations of Wally’s name could be heard from nearby students walking towards Martin’s Way. In regards to the sculpture, Christian McDaniel ’24 stated “it’s just sick, man.”
Stan crafted the sculpture with an array of tools, including a scratchy board, a shaka sheer and a junichi saw. Passersby seemed most excited by the revving of the chain saw. Stan sculpted the Walrus in less than three hours. The sculpture both literally and figuratively ‘broke the ice’ and commenced the campus-wide carnival.
Following Wally’s arrival, John Bruton opened for “CAB Comedy Presents… Ali Siddiq with John Bruton” in the Fillius Events Barn on Wed., Feb. 9. Arriving on stage in a Spelman College pullover and light blue jeans, Bruton started the night off with commentary on dormitory life, the Bush presidency and COVID-19. Bruton, whose comedic style takes on that of a “chill anger,” garnered much applause for his dissection of undergraduate life. Most notable from Bruton’s set was his recounting of the time he purchased marijuana as an adult and the alternatives to rolling a joint in your living room when your wife and kids are sleeping upstairs. It seemed that students thoroughly enjoyed the set, as indicated by the roaring sound of the crowd’s laughter.
Bruton’s opening was followed by Siddiq’s main act. Siddiq is most known for his anecdotal and observationalist comedy, sending the crowd into fits as he portrayed clips of his life with only a microphone and stool in hand. Lucy Seward ’24 commented in amusement, “this is so relatable,” responding to Siddiq’s declaration that “water drinkers should only drink with people who drink water.” Wearing a black t-shirt paired with black joggers, Siddiq, like Bruton, recounted life as an undergraduate, describing a stint in prison for his time as a “street pharmaceutical representative” — a story that received many laughs. One of Siddiq’s most notable bits involved advice on water heaters, warning the audience to always be wary of an instruction manual where the stick figure is depicted on fire. The night was filled with the sounds of cheers, applause and the occasional “did they really just say that at Hamilton?”.
The following day, students returned to the Events Barn for a concert by rising indie artist Adam Melchor. Best known for his 2018 hit single, “Real Estate,” the New Jersey native received a lot of praise from concertgoers on his performance. Students sang, cheered and clapped along to Melchor’s guitar, who was on stage in a woven sweater and with a headful of curly brown hair. Over the course of the night, Melchor performed some of his old favorites, as well as songs from his recent album that came out in 2021, “Melchor Lullaby Hotline, Vol 1.” A few students even took pictures with Melchor after his performance.
On Saturday, the Sage Ice Rink co-hosted “Glow Ice Skating” with Student Activities. Students on and off the ice could hang with friends as they bopped to the music, glow sticks in hand.
Later that night, the Hamilton Outing Club hosted a “Candlelit Snowshoe Hike” in the Glen. The hike went on from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Many found the event to be a memorable introduction to snowshoeing, given that the activity was under a sky full of stars.
The campus organizations responsible for FebFest hope that the event has and will reinvigorate student life on the Hill. This week, students can anticipate activities Paint & Sip at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, Snow Tube with CAB on Friday, and our “Battle of the Bands” co-hosted by CAB and WHCL at the Events Barn at 5:00 p.m. this Saturday.
