As Notre Dame hosts its week of AnTostal events, Saint Mary's is celebrating spring its own way - with SMC Tostal, which takes place today.
Sponsored by the Student Activities Board (SAB), the event will feature henna tattoo and caricature artists, an outdoor picnic and a screening of "Dreamgirls" on the Library Green, among other activities.
This year's event planners, juniors Noelle Whiteside and Cassie Callon, decided to include canoe races on Lake Marion and a fireworks display over Angela Athletic Facility at dusk, in contrast to last year's "concert-series atmosphere," headlined with a performance by the band Phantom Planet.
"We decided to have the activities of the day centered around a heritage theme," Callon said.
Earlier in the semester, SAB sent students a survey regarding what they would like to see at this year's SMC Tostal.
The response to the survey was unfortunately underwhelming, Callon said, but students seem to be positive about the chosen activities nonetheless.
"We have heard a ton of positive feedback from the student body regarding this year's activities," Callon said. "We're very excited for the event and are praying for good weather."
While the forecast calls for rain today, this would only affect outdoor events. All of the events in the Student Center will still occur. However, if it does rain, dinner will be moved into the Noble Family Dining Hall, and the screening of "Dreamgirls" will be moved into Vander Vennett theater in the basement of the Student Center.
In case of rain, the canoe races and fireworks will not occur today, but they will not be canceled completely.
"The firework display and canoe races will clearly need to be rescheduled for another date sometime before the end of the semester," Callon said.
The event is open to the Saint Mary's, Holy Cross and Notre Dame communities, and all of the activities are free.
"I'm really excited about SMC Tostal," sophomore Jessie Sobczyk said. "Although I wish the events were on a weekend so they wouldn't conflict with classes and I could participate in more of the events."
