This year’s Veishea Village, a comprehensive effort by many organizations and groups on campus to celebrate the ISU community, will also celebrate a milestone birthday.

The yearlong 150th birthday celebration of Iowa State will kick off Saturday on Central Campus during Veishea Village, with 20,000 pieces of birthday cake served at Beardshear Hall.

“They are constructing a large birthday cake in Beardshear Hall, and everybody is welcome to come to Beardshear after the parade and get a piece of birthday cake,” said Carole Custer, director of university marketing and promotions.

There will be a cake-cutting ceremony with ISU President Gregory Geoffroy, and the ISU band will play “Happy Birthday” for the guests.

Custer said she was pleased with the plans to integrate the birthday celebration with Veishea Village.

“Thanks to the Veishea co-chairs from both last year and this year, they have opened their arms to us,” Custer said. “We’re asking campus units, departments and service offices to come to Central Campus to have a huge sesquicentennial celebration.”

The groups with tents and displays at Veishea Village will focus on the history of their groups at Iowa State.

“Many of the units are talking about their own history with interactive activities and games,” Custer said.

So far, more than 100 groups will be participating, Custer said.

“People have been enthusiastic,” Custer said. “They are thinking up all kinds of new ways to encourage everyone who comes to the parade that morning to stay on Central Campus and get an afternoon of fun and information about Iowa State.”

Lauren Ellingson, co-chairwoman of the Veishea Village Committee and senior in public service and administration in agriculture, said Veishea Village is a showcase for ISU organizations.

“It’s a great way for clubs to expose themselves to the large audience that is going to be there,” Ellingson said.

The festivities will primarily take place on Central Campus, but several other open houses and exhibits will be open to the public.

A performance stage will be set up on Central Campus. Many student groups will be on stage throughout the day to present entertainment.

“Several groups will be performing, ranging from the ISU Groove Drumline Club to the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity doing their ‘Thriller’ dance,” Ellingson said.

Cy’s Big Top, an event taking place west of Curtiss Hall, will have activities geared to a younger audience and families. There will face painting, games and a visit from Cy himself.

A cultural festival will also take place as a part of Veishea Village. The festival will take place at the Memorial Union, and will allow multicultural groups on campus to demonstrate their many talents. Several groups will be performing various traditional dances.

Veishea Village is only the beginning of the year-long celebration of Iowa State’s 150th birthday.

“It will start out at Veishea, and then all four commencements that are during our celebratory year will also have a 150th theme to them,” Custer said. “We are going to be doing service projects with university employees in every county in Iowa, as well as other projects. It’s going to be an exciting year.”