Gentle Friday still successful despite relocation to Finch
Though Central Michigan University's annual Gentle Friday event was moved indoors, that did not stop the amount of fun to be had by the students that attended.
Pinconning senior Crysta Heckman, vice president of Program Board, said Program Board made the decision to move the event indoors the night before the event.
It was the first time in four years the event had to be relocated due to weather.
"We knew the weather would be nice, but we weren't sure how soggy the ground was going to be from all the rain we've had," she said. "Once we realized the ground was too wet to put a stage or put tables on … (we realized) that we were going to have to move it, even though it's gorgeous outside and I really wish we could have left it out there."
Though the event was moved inside Finch Fieldhouse instead of being left at its scheduled location at Warriner Mall, the same amount of fun was still scheduled to be had.
There was free food, inflatables, a stage with live performances and display tables from some organizations on campus.
"It's the same as most years," Heckman said. "We still have all the same novelties and inflatables that we always have."
Heckman said the local band performances were a new feature, as well as a booth where participants could dip their hands in melted wax to create a mold.
Howell freshman Brooke Tyler still decided to check out her first Gentle Friday celebration, even though it was indoors.
"I feel like there should be more people here and it should be outside," she said. "I feel like more people would be here if it was outside."
Tyler enjoyed getting her character drawn, creating a mold of her hand in wax and watching the live local bands at the event.
Tyler said she came to watch one of her friends play with the band Moses.
St. Claire Shores freshman Nate Zinzi, guitarist and vocalist of Moses said he heard about the opening for an extra band through an email from Moore Media Records.
Moses played eight original songs and a cover, and Zinzi took some time away from performing to joust on an inflatable toy and eat some cotton candy.
"I wish it was outside," he said. "I think in here, it takes away from a lot of the summertime feel," he said.
Heckman said Program Board typically has an allocation of $15,000 to put toward Gentle Friday every year.
"We usually don't use all of it, but it's what we're able to use," she said.
Overall the change of venue did not put much of a damper on the activities and attendance.
"We've had fantastic attendance anyway," Heckman said. "It's a tradition on campus that people always know about, so whether it's inside or outside, people come"
