With warm weather predicted for this weekend, Veishea organizers are looking forward to lots of people, food, fun and entertainment as the annual spring celebration begins today.

Veishea Co-chair Justin Chesnut said the nice weather will make this the most-attended Veishea since it went alcohol-free in 1998.

“We haven’t had good weather in the three years it’s been dry,” he said. “We hope people come out and support it.”

Justin Wilhelm, Veishea co-chair, said he thinks the weather will bring a larger turnout and people will have a more pleasant experience.

“It’s more fun if you don’t have to worry about staying warm or keeping dry,” he said.

The celebration starts today with the opening ceremonies at 12:15 p.m. on central campus.

Chesnut said Friday’s highlights include a barbecue and pizza party, Dew the Rec, Taste of Veishea and Stars Over Veishea. Saturday’s main events will be the Veishea Parade, the Black Eyed Peas concert and the pancake breakfast, he said.

Wilhelm said he has his own personal favorite Veishea events.

“I’m a big fan of the parade and the free entertainment at Taste of Veishea,” he said.

He said Veishea is a time for students to see what Iowa State features.

“It’s a unique experience,” Wilhelm said. “There is so much entertainment for free, and you can see what different groups and organizations have to offer at Iowa State.”

Wilhelm said he is looking forward to the weekend, the final product of months of preparation.

“This next couple of days is what I do it for,” he said. “It seems like more trouble than it’s worth until it comes down to the weekend. We’ll get to see what the effort is for.”

Dean of Students Kathleen MacKay said she predicts more student involvement than in the past two years.

“I think there are more students that are planning on staying around and having a good time,” she said. “We have some different entertainment this year, and people really enjoy that.”

MacKay said the students have been toiling diligently to make the event a success.

“They have worked very hard, and they worked hard to get the concert Saturday night,” she said. “I hope everyone has a great time.”

The ISU Department of Public Safety is also gearing up for the festivities. Director Loras Jaeger said DPS is going to be on hand to make Veishea safe for everyone involved.

“We are here so Veishea can get back to being a fun time for students, faculty and staff,” he said. “We want to be sure there are no disruptive activities to spoil the event.”

Jaeger said DPS is handling Veishea as it has in past years. A command post will be in the Armory Building, and the Story County Sheriff’s Office is providing officers to pair up with DPS staff. He said DPS will have its officers working 12 to 16 hours this weekend.

The problems that Jaeger has seen in past years have mainly been connected to alcohol, he said.

“The issues generally during Veishea are alcohol-related, but in the last few years, there has been a marked decrease in alcohol violations,” Jaeger said.

The weather will make a difference in the crowds, Jaeger said.

“Last year, it was very col… thus the pedestrians were significantly reduced, so we anticipate more walking traffic,” he said. “We’ll see what the results of it are — we hope it will be a safe and non-violent event.”