Kaleidoscope
brings music, awareness and fun to CSULB
By
Heather Hoefnagels
Online Forty-Niner
Contributing Writer
More than 30,000 people accumulated at Cal State Long Beach’s campus
Saturday for the 21st annual Kaleidoscope festival and open house.
The campus-wide affair lasted all day and featured nearly 200 displays, games,
rides, hands-on demonstrations, food and retail booths sponsored by CSULB students,
staff, faculty and community groups.
Kaleidoscope is one of Southern California’s most popular family-oriented
events and incites both community involvement and school spirit. The campus
bookstore was abuzz with shoppers and CSULB gear flew off the shelves.
There were four stages spread across campus with rotating performances throughout
the day. A country style cover band played in front of the bookstore, as well
as belly dancing and tango lessons. On upper campus the stage was taken over
by local children’s groups and choirs performed, as well as dance troupes.
CSULB sororities and fraternities sponsored several booths, which had carnival-style
games for children like a pie toss game, and awarded prizes such as goldfish.
“
I’m proud to see our community coming together. This is a great event,” said
the National Panhellenic Council President Abigail Broome.
There were many more activities for children from bounce houses and face painting
to arts and crafts. Clifford the Big Red Dog was also there.
Aside from the children’s events there was a multicultural village offering
food from around the globe. There were delicacies from China, Mexico, Indonesia,
Cambodia and Thailand, to name a few.
The Muslim Student Association showed off traditional Islamic clothing and
offered henna tattoos.
The Alumni Association was present as well and had a display inviting onlookers
to “Take a Walk Down Memory Lane.”
Yearbooks from every year since 1950 were there for people to flip through
and see how the school has changed over the past 56 years. People were also
able to spin a wheel to win prizes and learn what the Alumni Association could
do for them.
The Biology Students Association wanted to raise animal awareness so it had
three live owls and the world’s smallest falcon out for people to admire.
Gary A. Poe, executive director of Windows-On-Our-Waters, a city-sponsored
environmental education program, was there with a live tide pool and interactive
learning center. His mission was to educate young people on the importance
of tidal sea life and show them why it is essential to not pollute storm drains.
He seeks to not only raise awareness, but also to change behavior.
Although some were there to raise awareness, others were simply there to have
a good time. Colorful balloon arches covered the campus and there was even
a dunk tank. Kaleidescope 2006 provided fun for all ages.
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