The inaugural celebration of “InterMingle” — 15 hours of festivities featuring free food, live music and games — will kick off Friday at noon in what event officials say they hope will become an annual welcome event for new and returning University students.
The one-day, $22,000 event could attract 3,000 to 4,000 students, volunteer organizer Megan Hughes said.
Greg Lobisser, director of student activities and planner for the event, said InterMingle is meant to signal the start of the regular academic year.
“A number of University administrators got together and began to think that what we really needed in addition to the very good program that orientation [has] is some sort of signature event to mark the beginning of the school year for both new and returning students,” Lobisser said. “There hasn’t been an event early [in the year] that says, ‘Now come on to campus, and let’s do something.’”
Lobisser said programmers were “cognizant that freshmen are here” for the first time, but that they selected activities for an audience that includes newcomers and returning students alike.
Fifty-five student organizations — including student unions, clubs and about 20 greek houses — will have tables at the event, allowing visiting students to learn more about the groups.
“I hope that InterMingle will become an event that students look forward to participating in as a kick off to the school year and also a way to find out more information about campus groups, clubs and student unions,” Hughes said. “It has something everyone will be interested in.”
The event, which Lobisser said was “designed like a giant mixer,” is planned so that students can enjoy different activities at their leisure.
“They ought to be able to move around in kind of like a buffet of events, taking part in whatever they want, whenever they want, and then moving on,” Lobisser said.
Hughes, an ASUO veteran and recent graduate who has worked to foster student-group involvement in InterMingle, said the event is designed to “show students that the University is a fun environment.”
All events are free and are scheduled in or near the EMU.
Area vendors will operate food and craft booths from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. near the new Heart of Campus — which is slated for completion during the week — at East 13th Avenue and University Street. Food vendors include Marcelina’s Authentic Mexican Food, Maty’s Peruvian Food, Orient Express (Korean), Tom’s Tea House (Chinese) and Vijay’s Little India, Cultural Forum Office Coordinator Mandy Chong said.
The event offers free food as well: The International Resource Center will hold a coffee and snack social from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.; pizza and soda will be served in the Fountain Courtyard at 10 p.m.; and students at the late-night residence hall student gathering can find brownie sundaes at the Hamilton Complex at 11 p.m. Students who visit the Fir Room for film screenings — starting with “The Birds” at 8:30 p.m. — will find popcorn.
Most events begin in the evening. From 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., students can visit the EMU East Lawn and create what the event’s Web site calls “cool stuff,” or try their hands at mechanical games — including a bull ride, human bowling and a quarterback challenge.
Five live rock bands will perform in the EMU Amphitheater from 5:30 p.m. to 10:10 p.m., and the Oregon Ballroom Dance Club will hold its Friday night 9 p.m. ballroom dance in the EMU
Ballroom instead of the Gerlinger Hall. A pre-dance lesson starts at 8 p.m.
Starting at 10 p.m. in the South Dining Room, card sharks can compete for a $50 bookstore certificate in a 30-player Texas Hold’em poker tournament. Competitors, who must be students, should sign up at the information table an hour earlier. The second- through seventh-place finishers will also win prizes.
Students can win any of more than 80 prizes — many of which were donated by area businesses — in four hourly raffles starting at 7 p.m. Prizes donated by the bookstore include a 15 MB Apple iPod and eight $50 gift certificates.
To be eligible, students need only to submit an event survey.
Funds for the event come from campus departments and organizations, and donations by local businesses. Organizers have already secured funds that cover 88 percent of the estimated cost, according to a program budget.
Officials stressed that InterMingle is a recreational affair, not an academic one.
“The intent is not to create an educational program,” Lobisser said. “The intent is to create a fun opening of the school year.”

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