Food choices abound on Lakefill, at dorms

Got the munchies? Food will be available at various locations throughout campus on Dillo Day.

The Residence Hall Association is encouraging residence halls to host munchies during the day, and many are planning to do so.

Meanwhile, the Interfraternity Council and the Panhellenic Association will host a free pancake breakfast at Deering Meadow, starting at 9 a.m. At 1:30 p.m., IFC and Panhel will give out free pizza and water on the Lakefill.

Other food vendors are also staking out spots on the Lakefill. The Wildcat Grill – located on the ground floor of Norris University Center – will offer food, such as pretzels, peanuts, hamburgers and bratwurst. A Wildcat Hotdog stand will offer options, such as barbecued beef and nachos.

Domino’s Pizza and an ice cream stand will also have stands set up.

All the food stands on the Lakefill will sell water, Gatorade and soft drinks. This year, Northwestern administrators are emphasizing the need for students to stay hydrated throughout the day’s activities.

– Liz Coffin-Karlin

Lakefill lineup includes 6 concerts, starting with local rockers at 12:30

The Lakefill will be host to six Dillo Day performances – plus two ambulances and numerous security guards.

The concerts will start at 12:30 p.m. with rock group Real Lunch, which features Weinberg junior Ryan Brady.

At 1:30 p.m., Pete Francis will perform a solo set. Francis was the lead singer of indie-rock band Dispatch.

The Roots will perform at 3 p.m. The hip-hop group was announced as a last-minute replacement for Motion City Soundtrack on Tuesday, after the band cancelled their show.

Office, a Chicago-based rock band, will start their show at 5:30 p.m.

Rapper Lupe Fiasco, well-known in the Chicago hip-hop scene, will perform at 6:15 p.m. The rapper was brought to campus in a co-sponsorship between Mayfest and For Members Only, Northwestern’s black student alliance.

The last concert of the day will be Cake, beginning at 7:30 p.m. The alternative band will perform a two-hour set.

There will be security on the Lakefill, said Mayfest co-chair Andrea Hart, a Medill sophomore and former PLAY staffer. Luna Security Services will be onsite, along with state and local police, to ensure the safety of students and performers.

WildCARDs will not be checked at the event, but Hart said security guards will ask students to open bags and remove any illegal substances.

– Elise Foley

Patten Gym serves as back-up location

Since the hordes of cicadas predicted to invade the area have not arrived, the biggest natural threat to Dillo Day fun is the chance of rain.

If it rains Saturday, the concerts will move inside to Patten Gym, said Mayfest co-chair Andrea Hart, a Medill sophomore and former PLAY staffer.

Students should move to Patten quickly if it rains – Hart said only about 1,600 students can fit inside.

There will also be strict rules for entrance, Hart said. Only NU students can come inside, so WildCARDs are required for entry. Students will not be allowed to bring backpacks or purses into the gym. Without rain, though, Dillo Day should go on as scheduled.

As for the cicadas, organizers said the bugs should not be an issue for the audience. Cicadas avoid water, and Mayfest organizers said they plan to hose down the trees on the Lakefill before the event.

-Elise Foley

Dean recommends staying on Lakefill

Among the off-campus parties, midday runs to Burger King and barbecues, an amplified police presence will match students’ off-campus activities on Dillo Day.

Dean of Students Mary Desler sent an e-mail Wednesday to students living off campus, saying that the Evanston police presence would increase on Dillo Day and include plainclothes officers. The fine for possession of an open container of alcohol could range from $500 to $1,000, she said.

She advised students to warn their neighbors beforehand about parties, saying that small- or medium-sized gatherings would be easier to control.

Desler recommended that students living on and off campus spend Dillo Day on the Lakefill.

There also will be extra trash cans in Evanston neighborhoods, she said.

– Libby Nelson

Porn at Tech show to begin after concerts

After the music ends on Dillo Day, Ryan Family Auditorium will be transformed into an “adults only” venue for A&O’s annual screening of Porn at Tech.

Porn at Tech has been a tradition for the past several years, said A&O Films chairman and Weinberg junior Benjamin Stix, adding that frivolity has been the one constant.

“It’s not meant to be a serious statement,” Stix said. “It’s a fun parody that caps off a fun day.”

As always, the feature presentation is kept a secret, although Stix did give one hint as to this year’s film choice.

“The ads on the ground are a clue to what porn it is,” Stix said.

Another clue came at Wednesday’s Associated Student Government Senate meeting, when the name “Willy Wanker” was mentioned.

Admission to the show costs $3 and includes “a gift that’s pretty funny,” Stix said.

The show is scheduled to start after the last concert ends.

-Michael Gsovski

‘Keep It Safe’ on Dillo Day

Northwestern administrators want students to “Keep It Safe” on Dillo Day – and to be on notice about the consequences of risky behavior.

Dean of Students Mary Desler sent a universitywide e-mail Thursday morning reminding students that University Police, the Evanston Police Department and staff from the Office of Student Affairs will be on the lookout for underage drinking and other violations of university rules on and off campus. The e-mail also noted that fines for carrying open containers of alcohol can be as high as $500.

Four ambulances will be posted around campus on Saturday – two near the concert area on the Lakefill, one in the Fraternity Quads and one in the Sorority Quads.

All Residential Life staff members will be on duty Saturday, including more than 100 community assistants, senior CAs and area coordinators. Virginia Koch, senior assistant director of Residential Life, said staff members would be making rounds in residence halls and residential colleges throughout the day. As on any other day, staff members can ask to search bags brought in by residents or guests, Koch said.

A university staffer also will be available at Lisa’s Cafe from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Koch said the help station will handle anything from aiding guests who have been separated from their hosts to getting medical assistance for students who have had too much to drink.

Although the university’s main concern is keeping students safe, Koch said, “if need be, students will be held accountable for their behavior.” But she said students shouldn’t hesitate to get help for friends in need.

“If there is a health concern, the last thing a student should be worried about is getting in trouble,” she said.

– Michael Beder