Residence Hall Week and ExTRAvaganza ended with a bang Saturday, as fireworks lit up the night sky outside Towers Residence Association.

More than 300 students turned out to witness the 20 minute display.

“The highlight of every ExTRAvaganza is the fireworks presentation,” said Tony Luken, TRA president. “This year’s display will try to match the awesome display last year.”

The day began with a carnival featuring food, inflatable games such as Bouncy Boxing, Jousting and King of the Hill and a dunk tank featuring various student government officers and members of the Inter-Residence Hall Association.

“The 35 mph winds were really nice,” Richardson Court Association president Andy Walling said jokingly as he sat on the wet dunk tank stool.

Carmen Cerra, cartoonist for the Iowa State Daily, drew caricature sketches for students who waited patiently in line for up to an hour. He said for four hours he drew students faces, totaling to more than 180 people.

“My hand hurt like hell,” he said.

Future ExTRAvaganza coordinators must realize two things, Luken said.

“One is plan extremely early. The second is when it comes down to the day, it will be a logistical nightmare,” he said. “It is not one of those things where the pieces just fall together. It’s very tough, but an enjoyable job.”

Walling also said he was content about the hard work put into the event.

“Tony Luken and Kate Bjorlo have put their blood, sweat and tears into this,” he said. “They’ve been doing last minute errands, running around all over the place to make things happen, not to mention a couple of sleepless nights. But all of this is for the celebration of Residence Hall Week.”

Luken said he had no high goals for ExTRAvaganza.

“This is a big party for the residence halls,” he said. “It shows that we appreciate their input about issues that effect the res halls as well as the campus as a whole.”