Agriculture News

March 20, 2017

Purdue’s Spring Fest offers packed lineup of hands-on learning activities

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - If spitting a cricket, handling sea urchins, or watching live art performance sounds like a great weekend, then Purdue’s annual Spring Fest will not disappoint.

Purdue’s annual celebration of fun and hands-on learning will be held April 8 and 9, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day. Admission is free. Events and displays will take place at Memorial Mall and nearby campus locations.

Spring Fest offers a variety of activities that appeal to a wide range of interests.

The School of Visual and Performing Arts will sponsor a demonstration of steamroller printing. This enlarged version of relief printing uses inked wood blocks, printing paper and a steamroller to create a series of large prints.

“It’s a unique way for non-artists to see the printmaking process,” says Craig Martin, director of the Purdue University Galleries.

The Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture will host an activity called the Landscape Construction Challenge. Two groups of students will compete against each other to design and create an outdoor living space. The plans will be prepared ahead of time with construction beginning on April 8 at 10 a.m.

“These designs will allow the public to view the use of new and innovative landscaping products,” says Jennifer Deiser, secretary for the department of horticulture and landscape architecture.

The 27th annual Bug Bowl will take place in two locations this year. The insect games, insects as food and cricket spitting activities will be held on Memorial Mall. The Insects From Around the World exhibit will be held in Smith Hall, in conjunction with the insect petting zoo and cockroach racing.

Other events on this year’s schedule include:

* Purdue’s Horticulture Society will host its 104th annual plant show and sale at the Horticulture Building. Stop by to shop for trees, perennials or bedding plants.

* The Department of Animal Sciences will host the Boiler Barnyard petting zoo in front of Smith Hall. Visitors will have a chance to mingle with dairy cows, beef cattle, lambs and piglets while learning more about animal production.

* The Department of Biological Sciences is offering visitors an opportunity to observe adult sea slugs and zebrafish embryos as well as sea urchins, starfish and sand dollars in a hands-on tidal pool set up in Lily Hall.

Visit the Spring Fest website at https://ag.purdue.edu/springfest for a full schedule. The website offers complete program information and activity maps as well as construction updates, parking information, and travel directions.           

Writer: Mikaela Wieland, mwieland@purdue.edu 

Source: Chelsea Clodfelder, cclodfel@purdue.edu

Agricultural Communications: (765) 494-8415;
Shari Finnell, Manager/Media Relations and Public Information, sfinnell@purdue.edu  
Agriculture News Page


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