Planning for Veishea 2006 is already well under way, although plans for various events will not be finalized for a few months.

Possible changes this year include more events later at night and more events spread around the Ames community.

Organizers say this year’s event will be more focused on showcasing Iowa State than in previous years.

“Since we have two classes of Iowa State students who have yet to see a Veishea, we thought we picked a theme that evokes a little bit about what Veishea really is,” said General Co-chairwoman Jessica Lecy.

General co-chairman Eric Petersen said more than in previous years, events will be focused around things such as academics, open houses in various colleges, departments and club activities.

“We’d like to showcase the university better, there’s a lot of great things that happen on this campus that nobody knows about,” Petersen said.

Entertainment events will still be a major part of the event, he said, but because plans will not be finalized until late January or early February, more details were not available.

Fellow committee co-chairman Scott Borcherding said this year’s Veishea could include more varied entertainment choices than in previous years.

Aide/Peer Security Committee co-chairwoman Jessie Polillo said many events from previous years could be present this year, such as the parade and comedians.

Lecy and Petersen said there has been discussion about offering more events later at night.

“That is one of our goals, to provide events and entertainment for a longer period of time for students,” Lecy said.

Events could also be more spread out in Ames than in previous years, Petersen said, which would play into both the “one community” idea and this year’s Veishea theme, “Celebrate Iowa State.”

Lecy said events this year should also be targeted at a larger segment of the Ames community.

“You’ll see in our recruitment of aides, we’re trying to hit a very wide group,” Borcherding said.

“Celebrate Iowa State isn’t just Iowa State, it’s all of Ames.”

Lecy said Veishea planners are supportive of ISU President Gregory Geoffroy’s decision to use the normal university alcohol policy during the Veishea weekend, as opposed to the “dry” Veishea celebration of recent years.

Borcherding said his and Polillo’s committee are currently evaluating what effects the alcohol policy could have, although Polillo said she didn’t predict any major differences from a “dry” Veishea. The “dry” policy took effect in 1998.

“It brings in an element that we just have to consider, our goal is always to provide safe and enjoyable events for people, and that will continue to be our goal,” Lecy said.

Events are planned for the week of April 17 to 23.