Week three is upon the University of Oregon, which means students are back in the groove of things and midterms will soon roll around. But it also means it’s time for the ASUO Street Faire.
The biannual three-day faire, which is the ASUO’s biggest fundraiser, will look a lot different this year, with new rules, new vendors and new collaborations.
From Oct. 14 to Oct. 16, instead of simply walking through East 13th Street to get to class, students can stop at more than 50 vendors of food, arts and crafts, non profit programs as well as a beer garden on Friday.
This year, all the vendors will be on one side of the street, due to safety reasons and construction on campus, ASUO Event Coordinator Katty Kaunang said.
“Apparently we have been violating the fire marshal’s code,” Kaunang said. “That’s why we don’t have many vendors this year.”
In 2012, students could venture up and down 13th exploring more than 90 vendors. But Naunang, with three years of experiences, said that despite its limited number of vendors, this year’s ASUO faire will introduce students to the diversity that Eugene offers.
Along with food from Afghanistan and the usual funnel cake, ASUO decided to collaborate with Falling Sky Brewery, which will replace The Buzz in the Erb Memorial Union in fall 2016, bringing the first-ever beer garden to the event.
Students over 21 this year can enjoy a cup (or three) of cider inside the snow fencing in EMU Amphitheater on Friday from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Naunang said there will be security personnel standing in front of the entrance as well as around the amphitheater to ensure safety. Falling Sky Brewery will also keep track of its customers’ consumption with wrist bands.
Victor Huynh, who has studied at UO for five years, said the change is refreshing.
“It’s gotten a bit boring with the same stuff after so many faires,” Huynh said. “It’s nice to see new vendors and activities.”
Still, at the ASUO Street Faire, some things will remain the same. Phil Chesbro, Zero Waste Program Coordinator, said the team is ready for the faire.
“Every year, we get about 45 to 50 people to go out on the faire, educate faire-goers and help them file out trash,” Chesbro said.
At last fall’s street faire alone, Zero Waste Program diverted 85 percent of its 330,000 lbs collection of trash.
“Students are excited to go to the faire, so we are there to show them how to recycle in a positive environment,” Chesbro said. “This will move the ball forward and make [recycling] socially acceptable.”
In addition to the 10 Zero Waste stations located around the faire, Chesbro said the program will also provide water stations and have an educational table at the faire with free goodies.
The street faire will end at 5 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday, and at 7 p.m. on Friday.