Spring Fever
Boat and raft races anchored a wild week of mid-semester fun
Spring Fever, described by one participant as “a week when the campus comes together and gets kind of crazy,” brightened CSM students’ hearts from the 1970s until well into the 1990s.
Prominently featured were inflatable-raft races in the large plaza fountain between where the library, Building 1 and Building 5 now stand. The fountain in those days was larger and wider than the one that exists today, offering plenty of room for rafters to maneuver and for a large audience to get splashed in the melee.
Other events included a Tour de CSM bicycle race, a dunk tank that invited contestants to “Battle a Babe,” bikini contests for men and women, tricycle races, free haircuts by CSM cosmetology students and reggae music from student and guest bands.
By 1992, Spring Fever coincided with Earth Day celebrations. The Surfrider Foundation and other environmental nonprofits staffed tables, and participants could adopt a redwood tree or buy Earth-friendly body care products and detergent. CSM biology classes presented information on endangered species, and the Mary Meta Lazarus Child Development Center held a drawing for donated dinners at local restaurants.
