Midnight Mayhem yields bigger turnout

The UW-River Falls all night party traditionally held at the Knowles Center and Hunt Arena was moved to the University Center and was renamed Midnight Mayhem.

Arguably the primary draw of the event was stand-up comedian Kelly Taylor. Taylor began his routine shortly after the party started at 10 p.m. and continued for roughly two hours.

After the show, Taylor expressed how impressed he was with the new building.

“It was awesome.  It was a great setup for doing a show. When I came in I saw the big space where I thought I was performing but was told I was doing it in a big room one floor up,” Taylor said.

He also mentioned his fondness for the people on campus calling them some of the nicest people he has performed for.

The student response during the show was enthusiastic. 

“It was funny. I thought he was really good. I really liked the midget in a bag joke,” UWRF student Justin Stolpe said.

Students entering the building during the early hours may have been surprised to find it looking vacant when in fact many attendees were at the comedy show, after which the crowd spread out to enjoy other offerings at the party.

Other activities during the evening were varied and spread across all floors. They included swing dance lessons, a game room, a Guitar Hero tournament and intermittent showings of “The Dark Knight” in the top floor theater. 

Three of the most popular attractions were a henna artist near the entrance, a pair of caricature artists working near the stairs and a vendor on the bottom floor who used video equipment and a green screen to let students make their own music video which basically amounted to lip synching.

Another notable activity being held on the third floor was a service project in which people could make cards for the VA Hospital.

Student volunteers who helped run the event offered their opinions on Midnight Mayhem and how it compared to the one held in the Hunt Arena and Knowles Center.

According to volunteers Alyson Garvoille, Khrystal Condon and Kimberly Schadrie, the party had been a big success and succeeded in attracting a larger amount of students.  They surmised it was likely due to better planning of the event as well as offering more varied activities that appealed to a broader group of students.

Past parties held at the old location consisted largely of physically oriented attractions such as open gym, open skating and other similar activities.

Planning Midnight Mayhem was a collaborative effort between Crabtree Hall staff, the Events Manager, the First Year Experience Office and the Student Entertainment and Arts Committee.

Crabtree Hall Manager Kayla Haines said she believed the group effort helped.

“It worked very well for all these different groups to come together to put on this event.  We were all able to contribute the strengths of our area of expertise in student affairs to put this event together pretty quickly,” Haines said.

The party is organized to help dispel the belief that UWRF is a “suitcase college” and that there are in fact things to participate in over the weekends.