This year’s Springfest will kick off with a new event to bring campus organizations together while letting students experience foods of different cultures.

The first-ever Taste of NIU will be held April 21 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the West Lagoon near Stevenson Towers North. The Student Association Minority Relations Committee and the Campus Activities Board are coordinating the event.

Campus organizations are invited to raise money for their groups by setting up a booth at the event to sell food that represents a specific ethnicity. A wide range of activities is planned, including entertainment by Mr. Myers, a Caribbean reggae rock group.

Canoe rides, a volleyball tournament and live radio broadcasts also are planned, said Belinda Tijernia, event coordinator.

“The purpose of the event is to let people experience more about other people’s culture and see the diversity,” Tijernia said.

The Taste also is a “networking experience” for campus organizations, Tijernia said.

While this will be the debut for a cultural festival of this size in DeKalb, Tijernia is comparing the event to Taste of Chicago and says interest on campus is running high.

The SA Minority Relations Committee is sponsoring a logo contest in order to generate publicity for the event. Logo entries should be submitted to the SA office on an 8-1/2 by 11 sheet of paper no later than April 5.

The winning logo will be used in advertisements publicizing the event.

Tijernia said the logo should clearly illustrate the four goals of Taste of NIU: to foster interaction between the DeKalb community and NIU students, to provide a festive environment, to give opportunity to sample ethnic cuisines offered by student groups and outside vendors and to serve as the first event of Springfest.

Campus organizations interested in setting up a booth at the event should pick up an application at the SA office on the second floor of the Holmes Student Center or call 753-0482.