It was hot and muggy, but thousands of students and dozens of businesses gathered together and got a little frenzied.
Students gather around the many booths participating in Welcome Week’s annual Buck-i-Frenzy event on Aug. 26 in and around the RPAC.
Photo credit: Jon McAllister / Asst. photo editor
The annual Buck-i-Frenzy festival was held Tuesday in and around the RPAC, giving students an opportunity to check out vendors from the campus area and beyond.
There were 70 vendors at this year’s event, including 14 food and beverage vendors and almost all of them gave out a free product or had some kind of incentive to entice students to check out their booth.
The theme this year was superheroes, and some took it to heart. A fully outfitted Captain America strode around and some students handed out shirts studded with superhero motifs.
“We encourage students to dress up or get into the spirit and join the fun,” OSU Student Life spokesman Dave Isaacs said.
Vendors were also encouraged to incorporate the theme into their displays and some of them even sported Superman-themed shirts.
Of the 70 businesses at the event, food vendors paid $1,500 for a booth and general vendors paid $1,700, Isaacs said.
“The Buck-i-Frenzy is self-funded and pays for itself through vendors and sponsors,” Isaacs said.
Emily Kotyuk, a third-year in human development and family sciences, said she has worked this event for three years with the Mount Leadership Society Scholars.
“Vendors have upped their game and have started offering more free stuff,” she said.
She added that every year there are more students who attend and more students who start arriving early.
Isaacs said about 20,000 students attended this year’s event.
New to Buck-i-Frenzy this year were displays from Yonanas and Dasani, which displayed Dasani Drops.
Dasani Drops is a calorie-free and sugar-free flavored water enhancer.
The Yonanas display offered free samples of ready-to-serve healthy desserts made from frozen fruits in an ice-cream style.
“Yonanas is a way to eat dessert and not feel guilty,” said Eileen McHale, Yonanas co-inventor.
McHale said the Ohio-based company will be offering Yonanas at the RPAC, the Ohio Union and Hagerty Hall this year.
Daniel Fleming, Dasani Drops tour manager, said the display featured extreme recycling cannons that offer an interactive game for students.
Students shot recycled water bottles out of an air cannon into recycling bins to win prizes like blankets, flash-drives and pens that were made from recycled products.
Other popular vendors at the event included Victoria’s Secret PINK, Raising Cane’s, Piada, Insomnia Cookies, Noodles & Co. and Coca-Cola.
