Wet weather drowns Skimmer

Citing weather and funding complications, the Sophomore Class Board called off Skimmer last weekend. The free barbecue and concert featuring The Ally, Liam & Me, Blacklist and Big Kahuna was scheduled for this past Saturday at Fairmount Park. Last weekend's festivities would have marked the fourth annual Skimmer after the event was brought back from a near 30-year hiatus. The celebration stood by Spring Fling in popularity among students until 1972, when the University and the City of Philadelphia banned the event, pointing to the reckless, alcohol-related behavior that accompanied it. In an e-mail sent on Friday morning announcing the cancellation, Sophomore Class President Adam Zimbler offered a special apology to the bands who were counting on playing. "We were upset that we didn't get to play, because we thought a lot of our friends would come out and see us and that we might get some new fans out of it," College sophomore and Blacklist member Max Kardon said. "What can you do? It wasn't up to us." Zimbler explained in his e-mail statement that the decision had to be made on Thursday -- two days before the event -- because the contracts for sound equipment, food and bus companies were binding and required a 48-hour cancellation period. As of Friday, weather forecasts predicted substantial rain accumulations, which would have interfered with the outdoor event. Zimbler explained that according to the stage rental company, the resulting mud in combination with the downslope of the event area would render stage setup impossible. But Zimbler said he was confident that this weekend's cancellation wouldn't affect future plans for Skimmer. "It's definitely going to be held next year, and it's definitely going to be held the year after," he said. "It's a shame that we didn't get the weather, because I feel like this year might have been the year that we fully resurrected it." Saturday proved not to be the washout the board anticipated, but the advance cancellation prevented the Sophomore Class Board from losing all of the money for Skimmer, and will give them the opportunity to organize another event in lieu of Skimmer. Sophomore Class Vice President for Corporate Sponsorship Santiago Rivera said it would be difficult to reschedule Skimmer this year because Passover, Easter, Spring Fling and finals present conflicts. "We're not allowed to conflict with any other school events," Zimbler explained. Instead, Rivera said, the class board was trying to schedule an event the Wednesday night before Fling. "We're all for Skimmer, and if it doesn't go this year we're just going to have to make it up at Fling," he said. However, the Sophomore Class Board is currently attempting to organize a free barbecue and concert on campus sometime in the next few weeks. "We hope to see all of you there, and we are confident that it will be an adequate, if not equal replacement for Skimmer," Zimbler said.

Daily Pennsylvanian staff writer Tristan Schweiger contributed to this article.

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