As with any annual celebration, new events are needed yearly to keep the crowd coming.

General co-chairwoman and senior in advertising Christina Dvorak said one of the new things the Veishea committee will be offering this year is free entertainment, as well as two stages rather than last year’s three.

“The comedian’s free this year, first time that that’s ever happened, or the first time that we can remember,” said Nathaniel Johansen, general co-chairman and senior in agricultural business.

There will also be more “midnight feeds,” and the Taste of VEISHEA will have more vendors this year, Johansen said.

There will also be the Veishea Extreme Challenge on Friday.

According to the Veishea Web site, the master of ceremonies will be Jose Tapia, former “Real World Key West” cast member.

ISU students will compete in an event similar to “Real World/Road Rules.” Following the competition, Tapia will speak in the Maintenance Shop.

Replacing the third stage this year is an alternative for those who are not as into music, Dvorak said.

Johansen said the alternative entertainment, or “V-Games,” will include timber sports, BMX and motocross entertainment.

VEISHEA Village is coordinating with Iowa State’s 150th celebration and will have more than 100 tents on campus showcasing college departments, student organizations and community groups, Dvorak said.

“It’s going to be huge and a lot bigger than in years past,” she said.

Every college and most of the departments are going to be in Veishea Village, Johansen said.

“It’s really going to be a showcase of Iowa State,” he said.

Dvorak said the parade will have more than 100 entries.

She added her favorite part of Veishea is the parade, and she enjoys all the things it has to offer.

Two of the things she said she really enjoys are seeing what’s new in the parade and the candy that gets thrown out.

Johansen said VEISHEA Village is his favorite part, because he says the exhibits really shows what Iowa State is all about.

“It’s the true showcase of Iowa State,” he said.

Johansen said he has been involved in Veishea since he was a freshman and said he’s been going to Veishea since he was little and “grew up a Cyclone.”

Once he came to Iowa State, he said he knew wanted to be part of Veishea.

“When I came to campus, I was like ‘Man, this is the one thing I really want to get involved in,'” he said.

Dvorak said she was a freshman when she got involved.

She wanted to try out different organizations and find out what she enjoyed doing and had a good experience with Veishea.

“I’m from out of state, so coming into a new university, it made you feel like you had a home here and that you were proud to be at Iowa State,” she said.