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The Dartmouth
March 28, 2024 | Latest Issue
The Dartmouth

Greek organizations host parties, events to celebrate Carnival

2.7.14.carnival.websterav
2.7.14.carnival.websterav

Greek organizations plan to hold various social events over Winter Carnival, offering everything from special hot chocolate drinks to a room filled with 10 tons of sand to celebrate the big weekend.

The events and parties will mark the first big weekend Greek festivities that members of the Class of 2017 may attend, since the Greek Leadership Council’s First-Year Safety and Risk Reduction policy barred them from attending Greek events over Homecoming weekend.

On Wednesday night, Zeta Psi fraternity planned a special twist on its weekly cider event, serving hot cocoa mixed with peppermint schnapps and cider mixed with cinnamon whiskey, social chair Brendan Nagle ’14 said.

Zete also scheduled a dance party for Wednesday night, Nagle said.

Kappa Delta Epsilon sorority hosted its termly “Tackiez” party on Wednesday night as well.

Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity hosted its termly pop-punk party on Thursday, member Alex Moushey ’16 said. The party is held every big weekend throughout the year and has been a tradition since 2007.

Kappa Kappa Kappa fraternity also hosted a dance party Thursday night featuring DJ Nokturnal.

On Friday night, Alpha Chi Alpha fraternity will host the 39th incarnation of its annual beach party, social chair Andrew Roberts ’14 said in an email. Entertainment will include performances by Big Party Orchestra, a Boston cover band, and the fraternity’s own cover band, Burn the Barn.

In preparation for the party, the fraternity poured tons of sand in its front room and lined it with fake palm trees.

Phi Delta Alpha fraternity will hold its third annual chili cookoff for the Fisher House Foundation, which helps veterans and their families, on Saturday afternoon, fraternity member Peter Gips ’16 said.

On Saturday, Sigma Delta sorority and Bones Gate fraternity will co-host an art show at Bones Gate, Sigma Delt programming chair Alison Leung ’14 said. The show, sponsored by the GLC, will take place from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Leung, a studio arts major, said the show will be a new way to use Greek space during Winter Carnival apart from the evening parties.

The event, she said, will increase the studio arts community’s visibility on campus.

As these events are held, members of the Class of 2017 may have their first Greek big weekend experiences.

Kush Desai ’17 and Riley McDonough ’17 knew of Winter Carnival when they decided where to attend college, and they said they have anticipated this weekend since admission.

“I’ve been hearing about Winter Carnival since before even applying to Dartmouth,” Desai said. “I’m excited to finally get the chance to experience it for myself.”

McDonough said he is also looking forward to Alpha Chi’s beach party.

“I think that the Winter Carnival is a defining aspect of the Dartmouth experience,” McDonough said.

Luka Pejanovic ’17 said he hopes to get a taste of Dartmouth’s unique culture during the weekend’s parties.

“The tradition is fascinating, and I can’t wait to be a part of it,” Pejanovic said.

Matt Abate ’17 is looking forward to the daytime festivities more than the parties, but he said that he is excited about Carnival as a whole.

Abhishek Parajuli ’15 said he is looking forward to the campus coming together over the celebration. The weekend’s social events, he said, play a role in this sense of unity.

“It’s really a positive experience for everybody involved,” he said.

Representatives from Alpha Delta fraternity, Alpha Theta coed fraternity, Beta Alpha Omega fraternity, Chi Gamma Epsilon fraternity, Chi Heorot fraternity, Epsilon Kappa Theta sorority, Gamma Delta Chi fraternity, Kappa Delta Epsilon sorority, Kappa Kappa Kappa fraternity, Phi Tau coed fraternity, Psi Upsilon fraternity, Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity, Sigma Nu fraternity and the Tabard coed fraternity were not available for comment by press time.

The article has been revised to reflect the following corrections:

Correction appended: February 7, 2014

Initially, the article reported that Alpha Chi Alpha fraternity basement would be filled with sand for its annual beach party. In fact, its front room will be filled with sand. The story has been revised to correct the error.