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Rain Can’t Dampen 12th Annual AIU Festival
For many students, international and domestic alike, the 2-day annual AIU festival is the highlight of the year. Held on the October 11-12 “Sports Day” 3-day weekend in October, the festival opens the campus to members of the Akita Community and visitors from around Japan. This year, as in many years, it coincided with the Admissions Office’s Open Campus event, so an additional 712 visitors – equally nearly 80% of the AIU student body – were on hand from around the country to enjoy the festivities.
“It was really impressive to see how much work the students put into the festival and how many different activities there were” said international student Kevin Näckel (Ludwigshafen University of Applied Sciences, Germany). “I went to a similar festival at a much larger university once, but it had only a few food booths, no buildings open to tour, and almost no student participation. I think that the AIU Festival was a great example of students’ enthusiasm and effort here.”
Hundreds more visitors turned out from Akita City and surrounding prefectures to attend student performances, and peruse the food and game booths, and take a walk through the Haunted Classroom, a perennial favorite. A light rain fell off and on through the day, but only the bonfire was lost to the weather. Stage performances did not disappoint and there were plenty of indoor activities as well, from performances in Suda Hall to tea ceremony, and cafes to support different groups and causes.
For many students, international and domestic alike, the 2-day annual AIU festival is the highlight of the year. Held on the October 11-12 “Sports Day” 3-day weekend in October, the festival opens the campus to members of the Akita Community and visitors from around Japan. This year, as in many years, it coincided with the Admissions Office’s Open Campus event, so an additional 712 visitors – equally nearly 80% of the AIU student body – were on hand from around the country to enjoy the festivities.
“It was really impressive to see how much work the students put into the festival and how many different activities there were” said international student Kevin Näckel (Ludwigshafen University of Applied Sciences, Germany). “I went to a similar festival at a much larger university once, but it had only a few food booths, no buildings open to tour, and almost no student participation. I think that the AIU Festival was a great example of students’ enthusiasm and effort here.”
Hundreds more visitors turned out from Akita City and surrounding prefectures to attend student performances, and peruse the food and game booths, and take a walk through the Haunted Classroom, a perennial favorite. A light rain fell off and on through the day, but only the bonfire was lost to the weather. Stage performances did not disappoint and there were plenty of indoor activities as well, from performances in Suda Hall to tea ceremony, and cafes to support different groups and causes.