Students can expect changes involving this year’s Frontier Fiesta carnival, which will take place Thursday through Sunday.
Frontier Fiesta is preparing to bring some new things to the carnival that may surprise some people. This year, students can expect more than the two rides featured last year, belly dancers and theme days.
Thursday’s theme is “diversity,” with a comedian whose name is undisclosed for the time being, a mariachi performance and Russian belly dancers. Friday is “Cougar red,” and Saturday is “family fun day” during the morning and afternoon and “Joe Koppel military appreciation” in the evening.
Some fraternities and sororities will put on shows this year, including Delta Zeta’s “Silver Spur,” Pi Kappa Alpha and Delta Gamma’s “Crow’s Nest,” and Sigma Chi’s “Bella Union.” The UH Cheerleaders will also make an appearance. A few other organizations that are participating are Bayou Oaks, Cullen Oaks, Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo, Cougar Red Friday and the Children’s Learning Center.
No major performers are expected to take part this year, and specific details of performances haven’t been announced yet, but Frontier Fiesta will bring one of its first Latina performers in almost 20 years to the stage.
Local artists will be more of the focus this year, but there will be no battle of the bands.
Frontier Fiesta is also bringing back the “Beard Growing Contest” which was a major event from 1940 to 1959.
There are over 17 participants involved in six different categories: Most unique beard, scrawniest beard, funniest beard, reddest beard, fanciest beard and best all-around beard.
Students can still expect the annual cook-off, which is already full of applicants competing to make the best chili, beans and fajitas.
UH Adaptive Athletics program will host “Wheelchair Basketball Rugby.”
“I think the major difference between this year and last year is more student organization participation,” said Director of Productions Terry Chung. “It is more UH-centric.”
