By Sandra Evans, Broadside Correspondent
It is more than likely that you have seen the fliers all over campus — George Mason University’s annual Mason Week is here!
Mason Week will be held this week, with the always-popular and highly anticipated Mason Day to be celebrated Thursday, April 22. The day will feature a live performance from the dance-rock band Cobra Starship.
“Mason Week took a lot of time, planning, research and preparation,” said Mallory Wuhrer, the special events chair for GMU’s Program Board. “The whole Program Board pitches in to make this week a success.”
Wuhrer noted that the biggest struggle was obtaining the carnival rides, but Program Board was able to successfully secure five. Wuhrer said she is “personally excited to see Mason Day come together . . . [and] to see the sky darkening, carnival lights turning on, hearing Cobra Starship outside and seeing students having fun.”
The fun-filled week will kick off today at noon at North Plaza with Ice Cream for Mason Week, which will feature free ice cream and other giveaways. There will also be a station for tie-dying shirts.
Then, on Tuesday, Rock The Plaza will take place from noon to 2 p.m. at North Plaza. There will be local bands and more giveaways. The 14th Annual Victims’ Rights Run & Walk will also be taking place at noon at the Center for the Arts building. Registration forms can be obtained through vrrw.gmu.edu.
On Wednesday, the Day of Silence will take place from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. to promote support of the LGBTQ community.
Also on Wednesday, a free comedy show featuring stand-up comic Tig Notaro will start at 8 p.m. in the Johnson Center’s Bistro. Tig Notaro is known for her role as Officer Tig on Comedy Central’s The Sarah Silverman Program.
Mason Day will be held on Thursday from 2 to 10 p.m. in Lot L, and students can find an array of free activities and events to enjoy.
Cobra Starship will be performing on the main stage at 8:45 p.m., after opening act Hot Chelle Rae at 7:45 p.m. Beforehand, a battle of the bands will take place on the main stage, with the winner being announced shortly before 7 p.m. Free food, carnival rides and free shirts will be featured in abundance.
Many students are excited about Mason Day, and about seeing Cobra Starship in particular, but there are still differing opinions on this year’s choice of recording artist. Jenna Cerrone, a junior exercise science major, says that she would “rather they have a different performer.”
Expectations are high for students who have attended Mason Week in the past, but as a transfer student who is new to Mason and campus traditions, junior history major Alex Landivar says, “I’m new, so it’s my first year. I don’t really know what to expect.”
On Friday, Program Board’s Every Freakin’ Friday will feature Inferno Fire Dancers from 9 to 11 p.m. at the North Plaza. The J.C. Atrium will be the fallback location in case of rain.
Mason Week will end on Saturday with The Aftershock: Mason Takes Over Six Flags, a Mason community trip to Six Flags in Bowie, Md. The culminating event will run from 10:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Tickets and further information can be found at weekends.gmu.edu.
More information on Mason Week 2010 or GMU’s Program Board can be found at pb.gmu.edu.
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