Music, Exhibits Mix it up at Yardfest

By Colleen Ervin

It was 12 p.m. on a Wednesday afternoon on Bowie State's campus. Students hurriedly bustled across the campus green carrying tables, chairs, signs, and multi-colored layers of balloons that appeared to nearly reach the clouds. No, there wasn't a carnival or campus circus we were having Yard Fest 2010 Bowie State style!

For those of you who have been living under a rock or in a dark cave and don't know what Yard Fest is, it's an event welcoming and integrating faculty, students, campus organizations, alumni, and prospective students to the campus all in name of homecoming week.

Early on students were putting the finishing touches on their booths. Campus Ministries conjured up a way to attract students to its booth with the slogan: "Bartender Jesus What are You Thirsty For?" The display than had many metaphorical flavors asking students what were they thirsty for. Campus Ministries asked each passerby what they were most thirsting for: parental acceptance, success, love, etc.

There were uncountable booths that transformed the campus into a miniature exhibition hall. Four lovely ladies from Mom Phi Mom explained that they weren't a sorority but a force much stronger...a band of mothers. They came together and formed an organization and campus presence simply because the traditional student is no longer traditional one mom explains. "We are here to encourage and support other young mothers like ourselves because we know each other's struggle."

Next, the Education Club beckoned with a wide array of candies, juices, and chips covering every inch of the table it appeared to be a display kids would have thoroughly enjoyed, though instead it was intended to raise money in their honor.

"The Education Club is raising money for an indoor festival for kids," said member Patrice Moore. "This is a festival where inner city school-age children will come onto our campus and have a full day of games and activities to introduce them to college life and to reward them for being good students."

Another booth featured an organization with a really long name. The initials were L.G.B.T.Q.Q.A. if you are thinking anything like me you would ask what the heck is that? The Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Queer Questionable Alliance is its name and inclusion for all walks of life is its game, organizers said. Brittany Blue explained that their organization was there to promote the awareness of the diversity on Bowie State's campus.

All week the campus had been littered with WKYS radio posters, T-shirts, and event trucks and cars.  Radio personality Calvin Lewis of WKYS 93.9 energetically explained, "We are BSU's official homecoming station! We are here to promote for both the university and for the homecoming events. We will be here broadcasting live all hours of the night with the best radio personalities supporting the school and bringing awareness to both homecoming and Yard Fest."

As the preparation finally began to come to a close Yard Fest officially began to come to an end. If the amount of student participation in the organizations was a reflection of support, YardFest would prove to be a very eventful and informative day.