Des Moines Register
04-24-06
Veishea is quietly deemed a success
Officials praise students' hard work and behavior as Iowa State's revamped
celebration concludes.
ABBY SIMONS
REGISTER STAFF WRITER
Ames, Ia.- Veishea officials awarded parade trophies and praised the spirit of
400 volunteers Sunday afternoon during a low-key closing ceremony at Iowa
State University's Memorial Union.
Student organizers exhaled and celebrated a restorative chapter in the history of
the 84-year-old event, one of the largest student-run festivals in the country.
No official attendance count was available for the weekend, but student leaders
estimated 60,000 to 70,000 people participated in events over the course of the
past week.
Police made 32 arrests at scattered incidents and reported no major
disturbances.
This year's Veishea was held against a backdrop of 2004's alcohol-fueled riot
that caused more than $100,000 in damage. The troubles put the event out of
commission for a year and left many in the community holding their breath as the
weekend approached.
But after years of bad breaks and attempts to tame Veishea, including removing
alcohol from campus during the event in 1998, the challenge for organizers this
year was to repackage it as both family friendly and fun for students.
"We knew we had a challenge ahead of us and an amazing opportunity as well,"
said Veishea co-chairwoman Jessica Lecy, 23. "We were extremely pleased with
how everything turned out."
ISU President Gregory Geoffroy issued a statement Sunday afternoon
congratulating students, staff and Ames officials.
"We look forward to Veishea 2007, which will serve as the kickoff for Iowa State's
sesquicentennial celebration,'' Geoffroy said.
It wasn't just the lack of police-involved incidents that signaled the event's
success, but also students' drive to return the event to campus. With more than
400 volunteers and 112 organizations, revelers enjoyed 66 hours of
entertainment - seven times more than 2004, said Sharon McGuire, ISU interim
dean of students.
Comedian Dave Attell's show Friday night at Hilton Coliseum drew a crowd of
3,600, and 2,200 students attended an on-campus all-you-can-eat pancake feed
that started at midnight Saturday and lasted until 4 a.m.
Off campus, merry crowds filled Campustown bars. Most students said there was
little to no tension with police.
Arrests were spread out through the weekend. From Friday evening to 7 a.m.
Sunday, Ames police responded to 218 service calls, making 32 arrests,
including 18 for public intoxication and seven for disorderly conduct.
Over the same period, 23 citations were written for possession of alcohol by
minors, 10 for nuisance parties and two for urinating in public.
The toll was an improvement from 2004, when 38 people were arrested in a short
period during the riot. This time around, police issued their share of warnings, but
also teased and joked with throngs of students along Welch Avenue.
"I really didn't know what to expect," Ames Police Cmdr. Randy Kessel said
Saturday night. "Knowing that this is weather-driven, even though people were
certainly enjoying themselves, whether they would have been more active if the
temperature were in the high 80s is possible.
"I think people were glad to see Veishea back, and they've been accountable for
their behavior," Kessel said. "And we have been firm but friendly."
Students who streamed from bars and clubs into lines at food stands well past 2
a.m. Sunday noticed the authorities' attitude.
Rachel Hetue, 21, said she didn't sense a lot of tension.
"The police are not so tight on you," she said. "They're here, they're friendly, and
everyone seems so much happier."
Happier, perhaps, because with increased activities came moderation. Hundreds
of students seemed well-behaved as they returned to campus at midnight
Saturday to catch shows by national acts the Nappy Roots and Stroke 9.
Even with the success of Veishea 2006, some student organizers still have a
wait-and-see attitude about the years ahead.
When asked if he thought about the future of the event, co-chairman Eric
Peterson said, "I think that's one of the best things about Veishea being studentrun. That's kind of up for the next generation to decide."