Despite the preconceived stereotype of straight up debauchery, Isla Vista is a town chock-full of traditions. Whether you’re burning a couch on DP or eating Freebirds while blacked out, odds are you have probably played into one of the many traditions that make IV so unique.
To sum up a few of the top traditions that fall within the greatest quarter at UCSB, here are 4 traditions to love in spring:
1. Extravaganza: What could be better than attending an outdoor music festival? Easy- attending an outdoor music festival for free. Thanks to the AS Program Board, Extravaganza is held every spring in Harder Stadium and is only accessible to gauchos. Last year’s lineup included Iration, Wolfgang Gartner, and Snoop Dogg. Consider it a mini-Coachella held right in your backyard…minus the sandstorm.
2. Floating: Debatably the greatest IV spring tradition. A typical day of floating includes rounding up as many floatation devices as possible (surfboards, rafts, paddleboards, kayaks) and heading out past the surf line to unite and float. To set the scene, picture fifty people floating and enjoying the sun with a keg bouncing around the center. Cue the music from the oceanfront houses and you’ve reached pure nirvana.
3. Memorial Weekend: The last hurrah before the Davidson hibernation begins. Whether you’re headed to Vegas or staying home in IV, Memorial weekend never fails to impress. For those staying in IV, the volleyball and baseball teams put on an “Annual Memorial Day Slip n’ Slide Party”. I’m not talking about your $5 Rite Aid slip n’ slide, they go big. Hundreds of people partying with a 40ft long slip n’ slide…sign me up.
4. Deltopia: If you don’t know what Floatopia is, educate yourself. After getting shut down in 2010, this extraordinary event was moved to Del Playa, thus creating “Deltopia”. Deltopia is a weekend packed with day parties flooding IV’s main street of Del Playa. With over 18,000 attendants this year, Deltopia is quickly becoming the most popular of the IV traditions.
So gauchos, if you’re feeling stressed about midterms- now’s the time to ease up. Spring quarter is full of fun traditions to give you that much needed break from your studies. But let’s be real…who studies in spring anyways?