The biggest party on campus this semester is all set for this Friday as the Students’ Representative Council will host first class bash.
The SRC traditionally hosts two large bashes each year, one to celebrate the first day of class and the other to celebrate the last day of class.
Jenna Evans, the SRC’s vice-president social, and planner of the bash, currently estimates the cost of the year’s kick-off event to be around $22,000.
The largest portion, $15,000, is from the main stage act. Technicolour Dreams will perform and host the glow paint party.
“The light show will be awesome, there are performers, it’s like a band.” says Evans, explaining the increased expense.
In past years the first class bash has run the SRC around $10,000 or less, and the increase in cost means less money to be spent elsewhere. The orientation week budget was an area the SRC pulled from for extra cash to put on the event.
“First class bash should be a joint thing with orientation” say Kjeld Conyers-Steede SRC vice-president student affairs, who moved $8000 of the orientation budget to help pay for the bash. “We wanted orientation to be more of a month long event.”
Despite the impressive price tag, Evans has not rented a tent for the bash.
“The tent companies wouldn’t rent to us,” says Evans who insists that the open concept will be a better atmosphere.
When asked about the weather, Evans says the outlook on the forecast is good adding, “people are drinking, people are already soaked in paint, and they aren’t going to care about a little sprinkle or the fog.”
While the bash has the same theme as the last class bash in the spring Evans is adamant that this fall’s party will be better.
“(Last year) no one really knew what was happening…it’s completely different, it’s a giant glow party.”
Tickets for this year’s bash cost $10 for UNB students in advance and $15 at the door and, as of the time of publication, sign-in tickets have been sold out. Evans has a goal of 900 students at the event and if she reaches it the total cost of the bash will be just over $10,000.
When asked what students should expect Evans says, “It’s basically a rave.”
“Buy your tickets early, when we sell 1000 tickets, there won’t be any at the door…don’t come in a nice outfit and heels.”
The bash runs from 10pm till 2am on Friday, September 18.