Yardfest
By MARISSA GARCIA
On Sunday, April 7th, all dining halls, except for Mather and Currier, were closed in light of a communal dinner being served within Tercentenary Theatre as a preface to Yardfest, systematically inciting Harvard undergraduates to engage in this annual social festivity. With the food reminiscent of a summer picnic, and warm weather in the sixties, welcoming clothing bright, flowing, or floral, there was a charge of vivacity within the crowds of students as they anticipated the performances of Kiiara and Bazzi, who were preceded by the performances from student groups Extra Extra and Maybe There’s Life.
Such festivities were preceded by student uproar regarding Yardfest now being held on a Sunday. However, according to the “Reports and Recommendations” document by the Harvard University Review Committee, Yardfest was held on a Sunday as recently as 2016, with another occasion in 2014. This shift in calendar dates was largely due to “first responder resources [being] predictably pressured on Friday and Saturday nights,” allowing for all resources to be available during this event, which had previously been a difficult arrangement considering how “this day is popular for spring weddings” at Memorial Church.
Marissa Garcia ‘21 (marissagarcia@college.harvard.edu) particularly enjoyed the Bounce House at the River West Yardfest Block Party hosted in the Eliot House Courtyard.