Founder’s Day to be a symphony of rides, music, games, and food

Matt Baker Guest Writer

Founder’s Day today would hardly be recognizable to its creator, Vassar’s second President John H. Raymond. According to the Vassar Encyclopedia, Raymond organized Founder’s Day in 1866 as a campus-wide surprise birthday party for Mathew Vassar. The celebration included piano solos, lectures and poetry readings. After Vassar’s death in 1868, the holiday became a solemn event, centered around memorial services. Students were not even allowed to dance during Founder’s Day until 1874.

Founders’ Day has since evolved into what it is today – a carnival replete with beer, elaborate themes, and rock shows. This year’s theme, however, has been controversial lately. Founder’s Day has historically been a child-friendly event that the wider community attends, and some felt that the original theme of 007 would be too risqué. Hence a second vote was held and Fantasia was chosen.

“It is the theme that the majority wanted,” Decorations co-chair Allyson Won ’09 said in an e-mailed statement, “No matter what, people should realize that it is still the same Founder's Day, with free local beer, rides, games, good music, delicious food,” and etc.

The sentiment that Founder’s Day is Founder’s Day, no matter what, seems to be widely held. After all, free beer is free beer, and the same goes for food. According to Food & Beer Committee chair Chase Berenson ’07, this year’s food will include offerings from Zorona, Soul Dog, and Amici’s Pizza, and the mostly microbrewed beer provided by Manhattan Beer Distributors. Some better-known beer selections include Blue Moon and Magner’s Cider.

There will be many rides this year, including one “sort of like a Scrambler,” said Games and Rides chair Lorrette Fisher ’09.

Music is another pillar of the Founder’s Day tradition, and this year’s bands include The New York Howl, The Powder Kegs, the RealBeEasys, Stepology, the Attorneys, and the Cool Kids., “The bands don't really have a connection with the Fantasia theme,” said Music chair Sara Farr in an e-mailed statement, I just tried to get some groups that I thought would be entertaining.”

So what do the chairs look forward to for the day? Many said they had one wish in common—“Hopefully sun!”