Beads, Cajun cuisine and loud New Orleans jazz were the order of the day at the Center for Tomorrow this past Tuesday.
Students lined up to enjoy the festivities presented by the Campus Dining and Shops in celebration of Mardi Gras, inspired by the famous New Orleans festivities.
The authentic cuisine highlighted the event, and even the most timid eaters gave rave reviews.
"I don't usually try food because I'm scared, but it's really, really good. The dirty rice tastes awesome," said Mari McGrath, a freshman business administration major.
Desserts rounded off the event, and satisfied the sweet tooth of everyone in attendance.
"I've been all over the world, but this bananas foster is the best dessert I've ever tasted," said Kim Mena, freshman forensic biology major. "This is a lovely break from the dining hall food, which is disgusting."
Fondue, also a favorite of the patrons, was served in chocolate and caramel selections.
Musical accompaniment included a brass band that serenaded the event with traditional jazz. The Bar Room Buzzards have been in existence for over 40 years, and have played all over the United States.
True to their shining reputation, the band even delighted the audience by parading around the room as they played tunes to tables full of diners.
"The band came to our table and played while we were eating!" said Gretchen Kiehl, a sophomore nursing major. "It was great."
The spirit of Mardi Gras was in full effect thanks to the hard work of Rose Polino, the creative genius behind the d?(c)cor.
Polino enjoyed working on the event but had concerns with the low attendance this year.
"I'm upset with the response," Polino said. "Our Valentines Day dinner last year served 350 people. So far for Mardi Gras we've only reached 230."
According to Polino, the Campus Dining and Shops advertised for the event as they normally do and even made sure there were no other large events on campus during the time the party was being hosted. Nevertheless, the low attendance was evident from the empty tables and idle servers.
The turnout, however, began to pick up after 7 p.m. to the delight of the staff. The room soon became packed with students and staff alike.
"I've been to the Valentines Day dinner, and that one was really crowded," Kiehl said. "This is my first Mardi Gras celebration and I didn't expect it to be really big."
The Campus Dining and Shops decided to do something different this year and change the theme, according to Cindy Youngers the event director.
"We usually get couples for the Valentines day dinner, but this year we wanted to reach out to more students," Youngers said. "So we held an event that wouldn't intimidate single students."
There were many issues about the timing of the event. The dinner, after all, was hosted at the beginning of midterm exams, which led to minor complaints by several students.
"It turned out to be a good study break," Youngers said.
The student turnout was lower than expected, causing the event coordinators' concern.
"We'll definitely have another feast, but whether it's going to be a Valentines Day event or a Mardi Gras one, I don't know."
The students who did attend, however, seemed to really enjoy the event and showed great interest in attending another feast.
"This was so awesome," Mena said. "They're just giving us beads and hats! It's so much fun!"
