Due to lack of money, SGA cancels Crab Fest

Although Student Government Association officials fought to keep plans in motion for the sixth annual Crab Fest dinner, they said tight budget constraints left them with no choice but to cancel the popular university tradition this year.

If the Crab Fest returned to Cole Field House on Oct. 20 as scheduled, thousands would have likely followed the smell of Old Bay from across the campus and packed the venue to crack open the state's signature treat. Although SGA officials worked through the summer and into the past week to obtain the nearly $14,000 needed to host the event, contributions from the SGA and other student groups and departments weren't enough to cover the event's hefty price tag.

"Certain costs with Crab Fest can never be alleviated," said Bill Braun, SGA's director of programming and traditions. "The price of crabs goes up every day, and you have 1,200 students coming to the event. … We were looking at a bill with over $10,000 of charges that couldn't even be wiggled out of."

The Crab Fest — sponsored by Dining Services and the SGA — skyrocketed in popularity since its inception in 2006, and crab enthusiasts snatched up the 1,200 tickets to last year's feast in only three days.

But when the SGA allocated funds from the annual student activities fees this spring, the body cut its own programming budget — which goes toward SGA-sponsored events such as the Crab Fest — to funnel more money toward student group budgets.

When Braun and other SGA officials tried to reach out to several university departments and corporate sponsors to keep Crab Fest alive, they said they found most donors would not contribute as much as they previously did because of their own budget difficulties.

Dining Services also tried to provide a discount on its services as much as possible, Dining Services spokesman Bart Hipple said.

"We tried to offer as much support as we could because we really like this event, but unfortunately it was not enough to save the event," Hipple said.

Additionally, SGA officials tried to get members to contribute to lightening the financial burden. Two weeks ago, Speaker of the Legislature Carson McDonald sponsored a bill that funneled $3,000 toward Crab Fest from the body's legislative reserves and required all SGA members to assist in setting up and breaking down the event to help save on labor costs.

But ultimately Braun said he decided canceling the event would be more responsible than raising ticket prices or searching for funding that could be put to better use serving students.

For junior biology major James Booth, who planned to go to Crab Fest for his third straight year, the news came as a huge disappointment.

"It's very unfortunate," Booth said. "I mean, it's tradition. I've been going since freshman year."

Some students said they understood the SGA's reasoning in the face of tough financial times.

"The economy is hurting everyone," junior aerospace engineering major Gerard Taylor said. "But Maryland is all about going for crabs, so it's a bummer. I know a lot of people who wanted to go."

Others, such as junior marketing major Julian Bryan, who also planned to go to Crab Fest, said they wished officials had done more to keep the tradition alive, even if it meant making the tickets more expensive.

"Everything else goes up," Bryan said. "I'd rather they raise the price and go ahead with it. … I'd rather have that option."

To ensure no other traditions fall through this year, Braun said his committee is already working to secure funding and lay out plans for the SGA's four major spring events: the Spring Barbecue, the Testudo Challenge, Byrd Beach and Wild and Crazy Terps Day.

"There's a renewed drive to work on the other [events] twice as hard," Braun said. "We have twice as much motivation and the knowledge that we have to start planning this far ahead in times when everyone's hurting."

SGA officials are also hunting for more sustainable funding sources for future Crab Fests, with hopes the tradition will make a strong comeback next year.

"I'm disappointed as anyone that it didn't happen, and we did try very hard," Braun said. "As disappointing as it is, hopefully we can make spring that much better."

villanueva@umdbk.com