Students returning to the St. George campus will be welcomed by two separate weeks of winter–themed activity: Winterfest, held January 6 to 10 and organized by the St. George Roundtable (SGRT), and the Winter Week of Welcome from January 13 to 18, run by the University of Toronto Students’ Union (UTSU). Events will take place across campus, from Varsity Stadium to University College.
While the winter festivities are supposed to bring a good atmosphere to the university, the divisions between the UTSU and some of the groups on campus is also apparent. In the past, a single week of events welcomed students back to campus.
NANCY JI/THE VARSITY
“It is better to see the two weeks as complementary rather than in competition,” said SGRT chair Michael Galang, downplaying the role of school politics. “SGRT’s Winterfest and UTSU’s Winter Week of Welcome have different events that appeal to different crowds,” he said.
Alex Zappone, chair of the Winterfest planning committee and president of the St. Michael’s College Students’ Union (SMCSU) feels that the two events do not necessarily conflict. “Winterfest is a vehicle to bring together communities of U of T under one event,” he said.
“We are hoping to reach out to thousands of U of T students with our events,” said Zappone. “We are expecting around 1,000 students to attend our Frost Night,” he said, adding that a similar turnout is expected for the pub crawl.
UTSU president Munib Sajjad explained that the Winter Week of Welcome is meant to be an inclusive event. “The focus is to bring everyone together,” he said. “We are showing students what other students on campus are up to. I think our activities are for everyone.”
SGRT’s Winterfest will feature a club night, a pub crawl, a dodgeball tournament, an open mic night, a battle of the bands, a pancake kegger, and the opportunity to watch the Varsity Blues women’s hockey team play. UTSU’s Winter Week of Welcome will begin on January 13 with a pancake brunch. In the following days, students will be invited to participate in a clubs and summer jobs fair, a carnival, a concert at Hart House, a street fest, and a chance to see the men and women’s volleyball teams play.
