Every spring semester, the majority of the student body awaits for what is known to students as the “epic” weekend. This weekend is a local drinking fest here for the students at Bloomsburg University, or as many just call it “Block Party.” Fetterman is trashed with beer bottles, broken glass, and booming music coming from every fraternity and sorority house aligned the street. Students stager the pavements of Light and Main Street in search of the next party.
It’s not an event endorsed by the faculty and staff of the university, but they do offer an alternative event, called Springfest that takes place on Upper Campus. The Springfest happens the same weekend of Block Party in hopes that more students will participate in the campus activity of free food, games, and entertainment. Springfest offers a safe, trouble free environment for those who wish to not take part in the off campus drinking and partying for that day.
Each year town council and committees collaborate with university officials to create petitions that will limit or even take away some of the raucous within the town caused by students and out of town participants.
Ashley Aneses, a junior from the university said, “I feel like the restrictions this year are different from any other year because it’s now limiting parking meaning no extra visitors are allowed, and I understand the university doesn’t support it but it gives the students something to look forward to. I believe five years from now Block Party will not be the same.”
This year the university is demanding some new restrictions that will be enforced during the weekend of Block Party. The restrictions will begin April 21, 2017 at 12 p.m. through 12 p.m. April 23, 2017. The Lightstreet Road parking lot will be closed to all Purple Lot permit holders after noon, and the same restrictions goes for the Green Lot. A police officer will be stationed at both lots to redirect permit holders to an alternative parking area.
The universities residence life is also enforcing some strict rules for residents in the on-campus dormitories and upper campus apartments. The restrictions are the following: students are allowed one visitor per student from April 21-April 23, 2017. The university will have a professional guest registration being operated through a security company firm to ensure the safety of students and guests living on campus.
Brittany Thompson, a student living within university housing said she believe the new restrictions for Block Party 2017 is a good thing because all the extra security and regulations should diminish the amount of drama that usually happens just about every year at Block Party.
The town committee and university has issued a statement through the university website that states, “Bloomsburg Police will have (zero tolerance) policy for all violations during Block Party weekend. Parents and Bloomsburg University will be notified of all arrests, and university students will be subject to discipline for violations under the university’s Code of Conduct.” Other rules and restrictions were mentioned in the statement regarding alcohol and party violations. For further news and information please visit Bloomsburg University Residence Life Website.