Skimmer offers taste of Fling

Despite less-than-optimal weather conditions for the second year in a row, students kicked off Spring Fling a week early with free food and entertainment.

Skimmer Weekend 2002 got into gear Saturday with an entire day of events, from performances by cover band Burnt Sienna, Latin dance group Onda Latina and a cappella group Pennsylvania Six-5000 to a kickball tournament sponsored and organized by the Sophomore Class Board.

"I thought it was absolutely awesome," Class of 2004 President Jason Levy said. "It was a nice, chillin', relaxing event."

Running from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., buses shuttled students back and forth from the Upper Quadrangle gate at 37th and Spruce streets to Fairmount Park, despite the cold weather and winds from the Schuylkill River.

Due to rain last year, Skimmer was scaled down and moved to Wynn Common.

And with only 250 people making the four-mile trek to the River this year -- a significantly smaller turnout than in years past -- the Class Board knew it needed Mother Nature to help them out.

"We knew from the start that this event was dependent upon the weather. If it was 80 degrees and sunny out, we would get a million people, and if it was cold and rainy we would have some problems," Levy said. "The conditions were not optimal. We got a turnout that was less than what we had hoped for."

Regardless of the small turnout, students said they were pleased by the Class Board's efforts.

"The weather did hinder it, but all in all, the board came together, and we did a really good job," Class of 2004 Vice President of Corporate Sponsorship Meredith Seidel said.

The highlight of the day was the show's headliner, Burnt Sienna, who also played in the fall as part of New Student Orientation.

Levy said students seemed to really enjoy the band.

"They really are one of the best cover bands out there," he said.

"I know a lot of people who saw them are going to want to go to their concert when they come back to Philly in a couple of weeks."

The band will be returning on April 18 for a concert at Finnigan's Wake, located on 547 N. 3rd Avenue.

Onda Latina and Penn Six performed after Burnt Sienna.

"I personally enjoyed the Penn Six performance," Levy said. "Being able to hang out with friends with some good music -- it really doesn't get much better than that."

Seidel said one of the best parts of the day was the performances.

"They were great. Burnt Sienna did a great job," Seidel, a College sophomore said. "All the performing arts groups deserve credit for performing in their costumes on such a freezing day."

Although the flyers for the event listed Quaker Girls as one of the groups performing, the a cappella group never actually committed to the appearance.

Quaker Girls President Rya Conrad-Bradshaw said the group's name was printed before anything was finalized.

"Our show was this weekend, so it was not feasible to have an outside performance.

"Otherwise, we would have loved to perform at Skimmer," the College junior said.

Traditionally organized by the Sophomore Class Board, Seidel said she intends to help out with the event next year.

"I'll work on it next year, regardless," she said.

The weekend event began Friday afternoon with 1,000 Pat's Cheesesteaks and an array of free food in Wynn Commons, courtesy of the of the Junior and Freshman class boards.

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