The culmination of cherry pies, canoe races, open houses, a parade, a musical, a crowd of nearly 75,000 people and, yes, the stuttering “American Idol” star William Hung, can mean only one thing: Veishea is back.

Hung, made famous for his stuttering rendition of “She Bangs,” will be hosting this year’s Cyclone Idol, and a variety of additional live music and entertainment venues are planned for this spring’s celebration.

But a look at the time-honored traditions and other new attractions to hit Ames this spring is a reminder of how Veishea has upheld its definition as “Iowa State on display.”

History

Created in 1922, Veishea is a celebration held at Iowa State each spring. Veishea has grown into one of the largest student-run celebrations in the world, owing to the efforts of more than 400 student volunteers. Each spring, with the exception of 2005, students, alumni, visitors and the community celebrate the unification of each of the colleges and many organizations at the university. Last year’s affair was canceled in response to the 2004 riots.

Veishea was named in 1922 by Frank D. Paine, professor in the general engineering department. He combined the first letters of the five original colleges, and the name stuck. The word Veishea – pronounced “VEE-sha” – stands for:

Veterinary Medicine

Engineering

Industrial Science

Home Economics

Agriculture

The concept of Veishea grew out of several ISU celebrations. Prior to 1922, May Fete was the only all-college spring celebration. Then, in 1922, the five colleges at Iowa State combined forces to present the university to the public as a whole.

Over the years, many additions have been made to the original affair, but several traditions remain, serving as links to Iowa State’s history.

The making of traditions

The events of the first Veishea included a parade, sham battle, Home Economics open house, horse show, vaudeville and the Veishea queens.

Two years before the first Veishea, however, the student tradition of baking and selling cherry pies began.

Cherry pies

The cherry pie fundraiser started in conjunction with the Home Economics Day celebration and George Washington’s birthday. The project was originally managed by all students of the home economics department, but today it is coordinated by students in hotel, restaurant and institution management, with all proceeds going toward hotel, restaurant and institution management scholarships.

Veishea queen

The selection of the Veishea queen was a tradition that started in 1922 and ended in 1970. The method of selection for the queen varied through the years. Students originally voted, but celebrities and presidents often played a part in judging the competitions. Cary Grant, Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, Harry James, Alan Ladd and former President Harry Truman have all been judges.

Moving Up Ceremony, horse show

In the early years of Veishea, the Moving Up Ceremony and a horse show took place. A mock graduation, the Moving up Ceremony signified that each class was “moving up” to the next level. The highlight of the event was the burning of the freshmen’s red caps, or beanies. This action indicated their new status as sophomores. The event lasted until the mid-1930s, and the horse show ended in the late ’50s.

Parade

Another highlight of the Veishea celebration is the parade. In recent years, crowds of more than 75,000 people have gathered to watch marching bands, balloons, clowns and floats created by dormitories, fraternities, sororities and various student organizations. When the parade first started in 1922, only departmental clubs entered floats. As the years progressed and the parade became more popular, various other organizations began to get involved. During the war years, a military review replaced the parade and other traditions experienced changes. This year, three new performance floats will travel through the parade: Shiara’s belly dancers and Dancenter dancers will perform in addition to the Barker Brigade, which stages routines with lawn chairs.

Stars Over VEISHEA

A carnival highlighted the second Veishea, when the predecessor of what is now Stars Over VEISHEA also began.

Stars Over VEISHEA is a musical staged each spring through the coordinated efforts of Veishea and ISU Theatre. In 1970, Stephens Auditorium became the home of Stars Over VEISHEA, which has continued to be a focal point of the annual celebration at Iowa State. In 1963, famous composer and writer Meredith Wilson was in attendance for the Stars Over VEISHEA presentation of his musical, “The Music Man.” This year, the production will be “My Fair Lady.”

Opening Ceremonies

Also in 1963, Vice President Lyndon Johnson lit the Veishea torch. The carrying of the torch through Iowa communities to the opening ceremonies in Ames began in the ’50s, when President Harry Truman lit the first torch.

The elaborate opening ceremonies mark the official beginning of Veishea, where the ISU president and other guest speakers usually kick off the event. This year, opening ceremonies will take place Friday on the lawn south of the Campanile.

Governor’s Run

Since 1967, residents of Pearson House in Friley Hall have made a relay-style run from the steps of Beardshear Hall to the steps of the state Capitol building in Des Moines to deliver a formal invitation to the governor’s office inviting him to attend the Veishea celebration. The runners divide the 30 miles equally along U.S. Highway 69 to Des Moines, where the governor signs the baton upon receiving the invitation, upholding the long-standing tradition.

Canoe Races

Today’s jousting canoe races differ from those that were first established in 1944. Using pledge paddles as canoe paddles, the dormitory, fraternity and sorority teams of the early years were required to dress in costumes according to a set theme for the races at Lake LaVerne. Because teams would often find it difficult to navigate the canoes and ended up on the rocks that surround the lake, the races developed into a joust where teams compete to see who will end up in Lake LaVerne first.

VEISHEA Village

The VEISHEA Village includes a cultural festival, the International Food Fair, Cy’s Big Top and more than 80 open houses this year. The open houses are a good way for the community to learn what the activities of ISU groups. Many organizations from the Ames community participate, as well. Exhibits are judged within their respective colleges by ISU faculty and staff members, and trophies are presented to the winners. A sweepstakes trophy is presented to the best overall display.

New this year

In addition to the new performance floats in the Veishea parade, a host of new activities have been planned by the Veishea committee to entertain and involve students and the community.

“I think Friday and Saturday night are going to be pretty neat on campus – actually, I think they’re going to be amazing on campus,” said Jessica Lecy, Veishea co-chairwoman. “There’s going to be a lot of activity.”

Live @ VEISHEA

Live @ VEISHEA, a series of concerts Saturday, will provide continuous music of a variety of genres across three stages. To date, 13 bands have committed to perform on the stages located west of Forker Hall, Central Campus south of the Campanile and on the Friley Hall lawn.

Lighting the streets connecting all three stages will be bright stadium lights provided by Musco Lighting. The company has lit buildings such as the World Trade Center and sporting events, said Veishea co-chairman Eric Peterson.

Twister tournament

The Twister tournament is a unique event held Saturday of Veishea week that harks back to the Veishea celebrations of the ’80s. In coordination with Habitat for Humanity, the free event will take place south of MacKay Hall and will allow participants to play the game that gets them “twisted” as they place their hands and feet upon red, yellow, green and blue circles.

Tournaments

Several new tournaments are expected to attract students to the Veishea competitions. There are 22 tournaments available for student registration, including the additions of new video game contests, the Glowball Golf Tournament and a car show. The Xbox “Halo 2” and Xbox “NCAA 2006 Football” tournaments were created to appeal to numerous video-game fans.

History Expo

Memorabilia from past celebrations will be put on display in Beardshear Hall to showcase the unique events and experiences of those who have participated in Veishea through the years.

The exhibit, which will be open Friday and Saturday afternoons of Veishea week, will provide “a walk through the years of Veishea,” Lecy said.

Events on campus, alcohol policy

After the riots of the 2004 Veishea, changes were made in an effort to provide a safe and enjoyable experience for everyone at Veishea. In regards to the alcohol policy, ISU President Geoffroy decided last fall to reverse the “dry” policy and keep the university-wide alcohol policy.

The ISU Alcohol Policy permits alcohol on campus for students of legal age, including those in the residence halls.

Another change will be the move of most of the venues from Welch Avenue to the ISU campus.

“Since it’s an Iowa State celebration, having everything on campus and having the ability for students to move throughout campus and kind of have that sense of community will be a really neat thing to see happen,” Lecy said.

Lecy and Peterson expressed their anticipation for the spring celebration.

“It will be a celebration of students, their efforts and successes throughout the years, so I would just encourage them to go and see what they have to offer – and [then] participate,” Lecy said.

Emily Jensen, president-elect of the Government of the Student Body, also on the Veishea parade committee, noted that there are several reasons for students to attend this year’s celebration.

“I’m looking forward to the entertainment. I think the comedian is going to be a lot of fun, and then the bands as well,” she said. “I’m hoping that [Veishea] will be fun and that students will appreciate and respect all the traditions of Veishea, and that we can build upon this year for many more years to come.”

The Veishea schedule, tournament and registration information are available online at www.veishea.iastate.edu.