Amanda Philipse, Fourth Estate contributor

Mason day is a great opportunity to hang out with friends and celebrate the end of another semester in the books. There are plenty of fun things to enjoy including carnival rides, music and dance performances, along with great food such as funnel cakes, fried churros, deep fried Oreos, pizza, and more!

In 1965, while still a branch campus of the University of Virginia, George Mason College celebrated UVA’s Founders Day for the first time. This laid the foundation for what we now know as Mason Day. Modern Mason Day began in the 1980s, with rides, food, and performances but it wasn’t until the late 80s and early 90s that more famous artists, including Snoop Dog and the Red Hot Chili Peppers took the stage. Since then, Mason has also welcomed big time acts such as My Chemical Romance, Andy Grammer, and Jesse McCartney. According to Jeremy Stokes, a sophomore with the Patriot Activities Council, Mason day is a “collaborative effort between Student Involvement, Patriot Activities Council (PAC), and some other organizations.” A lot of effort goes into organizing this annual event and planning begins as soon as the last Mason Day ends.

According to Lauren Long, the Executive Director of Student Involvement, the event costs over $100,000. The majority of the money is spent on acquiring rides for students to enjoy, as well as securing an artist to perform. They make some money back from food trucks and ticket sales but that revenue goes directly to next year’s event. New rides this year include bumper cars and laser tag. This year’s main attraction will be rapper ‘Juicy J’ who will take the main stage at 8:00pm to the roar of the crowd.

The event will be held in Parking Lot K and doors will open at 2 pm. Food will be available until 9:30 pm. There will be student performances for six hours, from 2-8 pm, then headliner Juicy J will be performing from 8-10 pm.

Hope to see you all at this year’s Mason Day 2016!