Dale Boyer shares some of his favorite pirate props.
In the middle of February, many students might be tired of the snow and just itching for the warm weather. Realizing this, Elizabethtown College’s Dining Services aims to add a little excitement to the season. On Wednesday, Feb. 26, from 4:30 to 7 p.m. the Marketplace is hosting Pirate Fest 2014. Students and faculty and staff members are highly encouraged to dress up along with the Dining Services staff and enjoy a pirate-themed meal.
This year’s dinner includes a seafood bar, chowder, themed pizzas and more. Downstairs in the KAV students will not only have the opportunity to enjoy desserts but also pirate games. The main game, beginning at 6:45 p.m., requires students to dress up like pirates. The best dressed of the group have the opportunity to search for treasure in a ball pit. This year’s top prize is four tickets to the aquarium and the pirate cruise in Baltimore (Md.) Inner Harbor. For students who do not enjoy dressing up, other games and prizes will be offered. Additional features in the KAV are a giant pirate ship, kegs of birch beer and a temporary tattoo station.
Every year Dining Services changes up the decorations from previous years. ”Each year we learn from the previous year and figure out how to make the next bigger and better,” said Dale Boyer, assistant director of Campus Security, who has participated in the pirate dinner every year since 2002. This year he is captain of a 48-foot pirate ship that sails the seas of the College’s KAV.
Each spring semester, a special dinner is hosted the week before Spring Break. The pirate-themed dinner occurs every four years, with other unique dinners in between. “If you did a pirate dinner every year it would get boring,” said Kathy Christopher, catering manager. “We put the most work into this dinner and it’s turned out to be the favorite of not only of the employees but also the students too.” Past themes included The Wizard of Oz and Superheroes.
The themed dinners are cosponsored by the main supplier of food at Elizabethtown College, John Gross & Co., who donates most of the dinner. The meal is open to all students and to the campus community.