The Frontier Fiesta festival will begin at 4 p.m. in an new location: parking lots 20A and 20C. Though the festival may be the latest in a long UH tradition that stretches back to 1939, this year’s festival will bring new changes behind the scenes and for all to see at Fiesta City.
Construction management junior Simon Romero and finance sophomore Trevor Schumann piece together the old-time store front decorations that will become Fiesta City. The festival will occupy parking lots 20 A and 20 C for three days, beginning 4 p.m. today with the parade to late Saturday night. | Nichole Taylor/The Daily Cougar
The Frontier Fiesta board worked with UH Advancement to create an online program where alumni and other interested parties could directly donate money toward the event. The program has raised nearly double the amount of last year’s donations. The board was determined to sign on with more sponsors who would be interested in funding Fiesta for a longer period of time.
“The blank email we sent out (to alumni) was the first of its kind at Frontier Fiesta and UH Advancement, and doing that allowed us to generate more income that really was untapped before,” said Eduardo Reyes, director of development with Frontier Fiesta.
Among this year’s new events are the Wild West Talent Show, presented by the CFA, and the Universal tent.
“(The Universal tent) is just a place where, if anybody can’t go to our cook-off, they’re more to happy to come in here; there’ll be movies, promotions …karaoke… DJs playing music, so that’s really going to be a central hub for students that aren’t involved in organizations, and they want something to do other than going to a variety show or going to (one of the concerts),” said Frontier Fiesta Chair Jeffrey Syptak.
More than fifty student organizations are hosting events and contributing to the festival in contrast to past years where Greek organizations ran most of the events. According to Syptak, this year’s Fiesta has tried to bring the entire university into the festival, not just the Greek organizations and the Fiesta board.
Democrats UH and UH College Republicans will be hosting a carnival booth called Politically Incorrect, while the Baptist Student Ministry will be hosting a booth called Price of Life. True to tradition, Greek organizations will hold variety shows, like Alpha Psi Omega, which will hold “For Memories Sake.”
“We’ll be doing a T-shirt pop this year and also we’ll be doing giveaways at different hours each day,” said Director of Marketing Clement Agho-Otoghile.
The cook-off, hosted in part by the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, will compete in food categories such as beans, beef, chicken, chili, fajitas, pork, chili and desserts, and various food trucks will offer a wide variety of food for guests to choose from. Food can be eaten in Willy’s Café, a nearby space where students can sit down with food bought at the festival.
This year’s slogan is “In Time, This Time, Our Time,” referencing the past books that were published in order to celebrate the University’s history, In Time and This Time.
“Our slogan (represents) the University and how far we have come, not only as a university but as Frontier Fiesta,” Syptak said.
I am really glad that the ‘Universal Tent’ exists this time. Last year, there really wasn’t anything for people to do if they weren’t part of the cook-off except buy food.