UPDATED: April 27, 10:55 p.m.

For some it was their last and for many it was their first. But whether it was a last hurrah or a new tradition, students of every year at Syracuse University packed Walnut Park on Friday to celebrate MayFest 2014.

The event began at 1 p.m. and concluded around 6 p.m. after rapper A$AP Ferg performed. Admission was free for all SU and State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry undergraduate students. Tickets for graduate students and guests were $22.

The streets around Walnut Park were filled with students dressed in outrageous costumes, including a purple Teletubby and a Native American chief. They were provided with free entertainment, food, drinks and limited amounts of beer, if over the age of 21.

With the event a block away from his residence at 300 Comstock Ave., Chancellor Kent Syverud made an appearance around 2 p.m. He mingled and took pictures with SU students before leaving the festival.

Syverud wasn’t the only big name to make an appearance. Former SU basketball star and current Philadelphia 76er Michael Carter-Williams made the trip back to SU for MayFest. Jerami Grant, who recently declared for the NBA draft, and other SU athletes joined Carter-Williams at the festival.

For Nathan Woods, a senior policy studies and child and family planning major, the annual end of the year celebration has gotten progressively better, making this year, his last MayFest, the best one yet.

“I feel like I own this one,” he said. “This is for us. This is for the seniors. We worked our ass off, so this is like congratulations.”

Woods spent the day celebrating with fellow seniors and family members who flew in from Boston to attend.

“It just feels like family, man, it feels like home,” he said.

Peter Quintana, a senior broadcast and digital journalism major, said nothing was separating him from his last MayFest — not even a professor who wanted to meet with him.

“My professor emailed me this morning asking me if I could meet with him and I said no, because it’s MayFest,” he said.

Quintana said the event has gotten stricter over the four MayFests he has experienced, but everyone still has a good time.

“It’s been fun this year, everyone’s out, everyone’s having a great time and that’s what it’s all about: everyone coming together,” he said.

Nick Southard and a number of his Martin J. Whitman classmates came straight to Walnut Park after their capstone presentations, still wearing suits and ties. The senior finance major said he couldn’t miss his final MayFest as an SU student.

“It’s a little sad, but I don’t live too far, so I’ll definitely come back next year,” said the Buffalo, N.Y. resident.

Lisa Mullan has made the trip back to SU every year since her graduation.

Mullan, a 2012 alumna, has attended every MayFest since her freshman year in 2008. Six MayFests later, she admits they all become a blur and she can’t quite remember her favorite year.

“I consider it my personal alumni weekend,” she said. “I plan on coming to every MayFest for a very long time.”

For those who are wrapping up their freshman year, MayFest 2014 served as a reward for a successful first year.

MayFest 2014 lived up to David Jackson’s expectations. The freshman history and secondary education major expected a smaller crowd. He came mainly for the music and to socialize with his friends.

“I feel great,” he laughed. “The weather is nice, the people are nice, the food is nice.”

Jackson wasn’t the only to see the free food as a highlight of the day.

“My favorite part has probably been the free food, honestly,” said Cameron Weber, a junior aerospace engineering major. “I was really looking forward to the food and beer and it’s been great.”

The food was prepared by SU Food Services and the menu consisted of everything from corn dogs to cotton candy. There were also kosher and vegetarian options available.

Department of Public Safety Officer George Wazen said the weather for this year’s MayFest had been better than previous years and that helped the turnout and the success of the event.

Said Wazen: “Everybody is enjoying the weather and the free food and just overall having a good time.”

Published on April 25, 2014 at 8:16 pm