A carnival, glow-in-the-dark paint and professional acoustic music artists are just a few of the exciting things students have to look forward to in the coming weeks.

The Student Program Board (SPB) has a lot in store for campus with the weather—and everyone’s spirits—beginning to warm up.

Rylin Ploe, chair and executive board member of SPB, Brittany Hall, SPB associate chair, and SPB’s annual events coordinator Arkeem Scott outlined some major campus events in the upcoming months—completely new to Oakland University.

Acoustic Coffeehouse

The first of two new events presented by SPB is the “Acoustic Coffeehouse,” where students will be able to kick back for a low-key evening of relaxation.

“We haven’t done anything as chill as this,” Hall said. “It’s going to be a really chill place to be.”

Ploe said that OU has never seen anything like this event and that SPB is excited to use Acoustic Coffeehouse as a springboard into some of their all-new events taking place later in the semester.

Acoustic Coffeehouse will take place in the entire café extension, both inside and outside of Café O’Bear’s March 25 from 7-10 p.m.

The event will include open mic before and after the artists perform, where Ploe said, “students can share their talents and show people what they have.”

All in attendance will be able to enjoy a coffee bar where they can sample and create a variety of delicious coffeehouse-inspired drinks while taking in the acoustic musings of Mieka Pauley and The Ballroom Thieves.

Springfest

In addition to OU’s first acoustic music event, SPB is also hosting one of its biggest events to date: Springfest.

“It’s definitely a festival,” Scott said. Ploe confirmed that Springfest is really three events rolled into one.

Taking place April 17 from 4-11 p.m., students will have all afternoon and evening to enjoy the myriad of amusements that SPB has planned.

Springfest will include an outdoor carnival with local food trucks and performances by those competing in Battle of the Bands, which students can register and audition for until March 25.

In addition to a carnival and Battle of the Bands, as the sun sets, students can take part in the third component to Springfest: an event SPB is calling “Paint-U.”

During Paint-U, students will be provided with free shirts to wear as they throw, squirt and splatter completely safe and washable glowing, fluorescent paints on themselves, their friends and the courtyard outside of the Oakland Center.

All of this will be made even better with professional DJs who will be spinning the hottest tracks all night long as students move, glow and enjoy this completely free event.

“We’ve never really done anything messy,” Hall said, adding that SPB is eager to see how students will respond to these new, exciting events.

Hump Day

In addition to the never-before-seen events that students can look forward to in the coming weeks, Hump Day continues to be a successful and widely enjoyed event, still going strong.

“Hump Day started about two years ago and it was originally a special event,” Scott said. Scott coordinates the event and last year SPB turned it into an annual event.

Hump Days take place about once a month (on Wednesdays) throughout each semester and always have a theme, Scott said.

“We always try to do holidays during the winter semester,” Scott said, “and so far this semester we’ve done a Spirit Hump Day, Love Hump Day and next week is Luck Over Hump Day for St. Patrick’s Day.”

Scott said that after Luck Over Hump Day, there will be a karaoke Hump Day. This hump day will consist of “some fun things and surprises,” Scott said. “You might want to check that one out.”

“Hump Days are a lot of fun,” Scott said, “WXOU is usually busting out jams, we have activities going on and there’s always a chance to win prizes,” he said.

Hump Days usually take place from 12-2 p.m. on their predetermined days each semester, and unless otherwise noted, are located in the Fireside Lounge.

Students can stay up to date on Hump Day happenings via the Hump Day Facebook page through SPB. Many students enjoy the free and fun event that breaks up the busy school week.