MCAB Hosts Eighties Party at Marquis

When it comes to large events on campus, students are accustomed to seeing mainstays like Wilson Hall or an athletic arena as the setting for such an event. Thus, it came as a welcome surprise to many that one of the largest events of Winter Carnival weekend, a “1980s skiing” themed party, would be held off-campus at the Marquis Theater in downtown Middlebury.

The idea for the party at the Marquis was born when the Traditions Committee, the subset of the Middlebury College Activities Board (MCAB) that is tasked with planning the Winter Carnival, sought to add a new event to the schedule for this year’s Carnival.

“We liked the idea of an off-campus event that was accessible, but also wanted a slightly different option than what people are used to,” said Hannah Morrissey ’18, co-chair of MCAB’s Traditions Committee.

The committee recognized that the Marquis had hosted several successful events in the fall that were geared toward Middlebury students. Hosting an MCAB event there had the potential to further solidify its place on the radar of nightlife at Middlebury.

“We thought the Marquis event would be a good way to address students’ complaints about lack of late-night options on weekends,” Morrissey said. “The Marquis was also a great space to host a retro themed party, and it was an exciting opportunity to partner with a local business.”

The Marquis opened the event to everyone 18 and older, with the exception of the bar. This was a less stringent requirement than the 21-plus mandate requested by several other off-campus options the committee considered.
According to Morrissey’s fellow co-chair, Thilan Tudor ’16, the committee was pleased with how the first-ever MCAB event at the location went.

“The owner and staff at the Marquis were incredibly helpful and flexible,” Tudor said.

“We had a great turnout and have heard positive comments about the event from the students who attended.”
Up next for the Traditions Committee will be Midd Mayhem weekend in May. While preparations are still in a preliminary phase, both Tudor and Morrissey noted that the success of the party at the Marquis made it an option that would be readily considered again.