Celebrating School Spirit at Clam Jam and Friar Fest

by The Cowl Editor on May 3, 2018


Campus


Friars Enjoy the Warm Weather on Smith Quad 

by Hannah Langley ’21

Assistant News Editor

Brianna Colletti ’21/The Cowl

During the stress of finals and the end of the semester, students could really use some good food and fun activities to relieve anxiety and lessen the countless hours in the library. To help with this, Providence College’s Board of Programmers (BOP) in conjunction with the Office of Student Activities held Clam Jam and Friar Fest, renaming it Clam Fest, this past weekend. 

Clam Jam, which is held annually, is a fun-filled day of events for all PC students. BOP chose “boardwalk” as the theme of this year’s Clam Fest, featuring many of the fun games and food one would find along the boardwalk of the Jersey Shore or in a summer town on Cape Cod. 

Carnival games were set up along the Smith Lawn, including a wave slide, a speed pitch machine, and a tiki tower climbing wall. 

BOP also handed out free frisbees for people to throw on the lawn and sold “Clam Jam” T-shirts at the event. As students enjoyed themselves on the lawn, they could listen to covers of their favorite songs sung by the Cape Cod Slackers, a crowd favorite according to Elizabeth Jancsy ’18 and Courtney Holland ’18. 

There was no shortage of food options at this year’s Clam Fest. The event featured best-selling options from Iggy’s Doughboys & Chowder House, located in Warwick and Narragansett, RI, as well as pizza, Dippin’ Dots ice cream, a smoothie bar, kettle corn, and Haven Brothers food truck.  

When asked what she was most excited about for Clam Fest this year, Jancsy noted her enthusiasm about the boardwalk theme. “I really think we do a good job at transforming space for an event,” Jancsy said, “and I know Smith is going to feel like a beach!” Holland also mentioned how she loves Clam Fest, as it brings the whole school community together. She said, “Every year when I look at the crowd that Clam Jam brings together, it reminds me why I love this school so much.”

Friar Fest is another annual event that students look forward to in the midst of finals, featuring great food, good music, and energetic school spirit. Sharon Hay, the director of the office of student activities and cultural programming, described Friar Fest as “a spring celebration open to all PC students.” 

This year’s Clam Fest, offered a variety of options from local food vendors, such as Like No Udder Ice Cream truck, Insomnia Cookies, and Championship Melt, all free of charge to PC students. The event included a cash bar for those students 21 and over, as well as entertainment by The Naticks, a local band from East Greenwich, Rhode Island. Lawn games, such as corn hole and spike ball, were also set up throughout Smith Lawn.

With all the free food, live music, and entertaining games, Clam Fest allowed students to blow off some steam before the hectic time of finals and enjoy one of their last weekends at PC. “These events take me back to my college days,” said Hay “and I hope PC students will create memories that will last long after they’ve graduated.”