Live It Up At Whittfest and Poet Prom
With finals right around the corner, students need a day to relax, be in the sunshine, and have fun, fun, fun! And that day is here! Whittier’s annual all-day shindig, Whittfest, will bring the fun in the sun on Friday, April 12 from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. in the Upper Quad.
Whittfest is an all-day carnival and concert hosted by Program Board. After the full day of Whittfest, the fun will be moved to Villalobos Hall at 7 p.m. for the first ever Poet Prom, organized by Media Council and Program Board.
The event — described as “the College’s biggest event of the Spring” — consists of “carnival games, food trucks, a petting zoo, and much more.” The first Whittfest was in 2017 with over 1000 people in attendance and two-time Grammy award-winning artist T-Pain performing.
While T-Pain will not be making a return to the College campus, this year’s event is still sure to be a great time. Director of Program Board, third-year Justin Holoman, and Head of Whittfest Coordination, third-year Sean Frank, are excited for the event. The two are “especially proud of the work that [they] have done this semester to realize [their] vision of Whittfest for the student body.”
The planning committee of Whittfest — consisting of Frank, second-year Alec Manoukian, and first-year Yen Tran, — has “extended to the far reaches of Whittier student life, graciously recruiting help and collaboration from a significant number of student-run organizations,” Holoman continues. The team wants to make sure that Whittfest is not only a “celebration of another successful school year gone by, but a testament to [the] student body’s commitment to making Whittier a vibrant and involved community as well.”
This year’s event is all about the groovy ’70s, and while the duo says that every Whittfest is special, they want to make sure that this year is even greater — especially since this year marks 50 years of Program Board. “Any other surprises must be saved for the day!” say the two.
This year, you can find activities such as a bouncy castle, a petting zoo to see “familiar animals on the Quad outside of Platner Hall,” various carnival games, and activities run by both Whittier College student organizations and private vendors. “[And] what would a carnival be with[out] prizes?” says Holoman.
Food-wise, you will be able to find an array of delicasses, such as tacos, boba, and vegan burgers. And when the sun goes down and the party for Poet Prom begins, you will be able to find burgers and funnel cakes to help you stay energized when you do all that dancing! “Be sure to check in before participating in our catering stands [before purchasing food],” says Holoman.
Music is one of the biggest facets of Whittfest each year, and the tunes won’t stop in 2024. Instead of the usual musical guest, Program Board will be providing a DJ for the entirety of Whittfest’s afternoon portion, as well as a performance by the Whittier College Dance Team in the Upper Quad at 4 p.m. Poet Prom will then have KPOET Broadcaster and fourth-year Gabe Collazo Djing at the dance. Collazo, however, will not be the DJ performing at Whittfest. The decision not to host a larger musical group like in years past was based on a “delegation of budget and manpower,” according to Frank. He continues by stating that Program Board “wanted to lean more into the Carnival aspect of Whittfest than the performance, and we thought that money that would otherwise be spent on a stage, lighting, equipment, multiple performing acts, etc. would be better spent on other things.” They also did not want to overbook volunteers because, with hosting a band, a bounty of people need to be involved. “The use of a DJ frees us to focus on running our other events,” Frank concludes.
Whittfest would not be possible without the help of other organizations on campus, the duo continued. The duo would like to extend their thanks and “sincere gratitude to the ASWC Senate and Media Council for working with us in various capacities throughout the semester to help make Whittfest a reality. Their assistance provided us with the resources and support necessary to bring this event to life, and we’d like to use this opportunity to recognize it.”
If you’re ready for a fun-in-the-sun day, come down to the Upper Quad on April 12 at 2 p.m., and enjoy all the far-out activities Whittfest has to offer.
Photo Courtesy of Engage
