Minerpaloozer slumps

   The most anticipated school event of the year fell short this time around.

Although this year’s Minerpalooza featured two stages (one orange, the other blue) starring local talent— including local folk singer Emily Davis—the crowd at the pep rally seemed a lot smaller than usual.

Whereas in previous years the crowd was rowdy and large, this year’s crowd seemed a little dull.

This may have been for several different reasons. One, it felt as though advertising and all the hoopla that usually surrounds Minerpalooza was dimmed down this year. That might have had something to do with the low turn out.

Another reason may have been the fact that UTEP was playing the nationally fourth ranked Oklahoma Sooners the next day, and everyone—we mean everyone—knew the Miners wouldn’t win.

Either way, although the turn out was low, the event itself just seemed overall boring. The orange and blue stages seemed empty almost all of the time, and during the pep rally, the attendees didn’t seem as excited to shout support and pride for their Miners.

It could be that the event is too traditional and attendees were hoping for something new aside from the two stages. Maybe less inflatable games—because honestly, we knew no difference between the “Kids zone” and the rest— and more mechanical games. Someone might want to give the mechanical bull another shot after last year’s incident of a student losing a finger.

The construction zone at the Geology Lawn could have had an effect on the environment as well. Walking around seeing everything in bright orange and blue, then seeing a fence surrounding a big pile of dirt can be discouraging.

If Minerpalooza were to get rid of their Beer Garden and just sold alcohol freely, like other family events do, the attendance rate would surely increase.

But beer or not, traditional or new, inflatable games or mechanical ones, what happened to school pride everyone?
We’ll just have to wait and see what comes along next year. Hopefully there will be a larger turn out and we won’t be the Minerpaloozers.

Editors may be reached at prospector@utep.edu.