The Living Learning Communities will host their 11th annual Oktoberfest celebrations in the LLC Courtyard from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Sept. 23.
Housing and Residence Life Area Coordinator David Prinz said people can expect a lot of fun and games, good food and a chance to mingle with people within the residence hall community. The two-hour celebration will feature a variety of German snacks along with the highlight of the festivities — root beer floats.
Prinz, who is an advisor to the organizing committee, said they offer root beer instead of beer because they want to promote the spirit of the festival rather than making it just about drinking and alcohol.
“We don’t want to encourage just a beer-fest where it smells like pee because everyone is so drunk. We want to carry the spirit of camaraderie and the festiveness,” Prinz said.
This Oktoberfest celebration will be an entirely alcohol-free event.
Prinz said they have acquired a half keg of root beer for guests. He said he has found root beer kegs that are better than bottled root beer in terms of flavor and carbonation.
Prinz said despite the name, Oktoberfest is actually celebrated around mid- to late September, instead of in October. This year, celebrations for Oktoberfest in Germany began on Sept. 16 and will run until Oct. 3.
Calvin Haggard, president of the LLC community council, said they chose Oktoberfest because of the timing of the celebration more than anything.
“The idea that we’re trying to spread is that Oktoberfest is more than just alcohol and more than partying, it’s more about friendship and community (more) than anything else,” Haggard said.
Haggard said the event is to encourage a sense of community within the residence hall students. It’s where people can meet other people, talk, get together, hang out and just have fun.
This year’s Oktoberfest, being outdoors, will feature more on-your-feet activities and greater energy, Prinz said. Oktoberfest last year was held indoors and featured more seated activities.
Prinz said he hopes this celebration will prompt future interactions and activities among residents in the LLC Courtyard. He said that currently, the LLC Courtyard is significantly underused compared to the Tower Lawn.
Haggard said resident assistants of the residence halls will get into teams to come up with activities and games, which they will then facilitate during the event.
Prinz said some of the activities confirmed for Oktoberfest are corn hole, croquet, badminton and four square.
Prinz said all those living in the UI residence halls are encouraged to attend the celebration as it is organized using money from Residence Hall Association fees that all residents had to pay.
“LLC Oktoberfest will be an Austro-Bavarian celebration with a UIdaho twist,” Danny Mashrick, a LLC senator said. “There will be lots of positivity and smiles. If people like fun, positivity and Vandal spirit, they are going to come to Oktoberfest.”
May Ng can be reached at [email protected]