150 Things to Love About Purdue

Annual events you never want to miss

go karts racing on the track — Photo: Purdue University

1. Grand Prix

Ladies and gentlemen, start your engines for the Greatest Spectacle in College Racing! Dating back to 1958, Purdue’s annual Grand Prix included famously raucous festivities during its heyday in the ’90s. More recently, development around Ross-Ade squeezed the track further northwest across McCormick Drive, where a new facility opened in 2009.

evGrand Prix

The inaugural Electric Vehicle Grand Prix was held on April 18, 2010, as part of a program to educate a new generation of highly skilled workers to design, build, and service electric vehicles. The Indiana Advanced Electric Vehicle Training and Education Consortium (I-AEVtec), led by Purdue, developed degree and training programs for the electric-vehicle industry, which is expected to grow dramatically in coming decades. About 60 students in several Purdue courses were involved in developing the first-ever evGrand Prix. Fifteen go-karts raced for about an hour, with the vehicles taking roughly 100 laps.

2. Purdue Jazz Festival

Since it started in 1990, the Purdue Jazz Festival has become one of the largest events of its kind anywhere in the country. Started by Jazz Band director Lissa Fleming May, the three-day festival hosts middle and high school students from across the Midwest for a massive competition. The event also features national acts, clinics, and a host of community events.

archive photo of the purdue marching band performing on the Indianapolis motor speedway

3. Performing as Host Band for the Indy 500

It isn’t game day — or race day — without the “All-American” Marching Band, which performs each Memorial Day weekend ahead of the Indianapolis 500, first in a pre-race parade through downtown, and then accompanying on “(Back Home Again in) Indiana” and “God Bless America” before the race begins. Paul Spotts Emrick, the band’s first director, started the relationship with the then-fledgling race back in 1919, and Purdue has performed in every opening ceremony since.

A child touches the nose of a pig being held by a girl — Purdue Spring Fest 2017, an annual event showcasing the lighter side of higher education. This free event is a great opportunity people from throughout the region to learn about animals, agriculture, the arts, astronomy, and more in two full days of educational and entertaining hands-on activities. A curious youngster reaches out to a piglet in the Boiler Barnyard (Purdue University/ Mark Simons)

4. Spring Fest

Spring Fest is an intersection of fun and learning, with many departments and student organizations representing their interest and work. With petting zoos, henna tattoos, cake decorating, goldfish racing, fencing, and the ever-popular Bug Bowl, the two-day event is a celebration of all things Purdue.

5. Ag Fish Fry

With exact origins unknown, Purdue’s annual Ag Alumni Fish Fry can be traced back to a chicken and noodle dinner sometime in the 1920s. For a few years in the 1990s, pork became the main course in a “non-fish” fish fry designed to draw attention to falling pork prices. For many years, the stalwart event incorporated themes manifested through skits and satire. In recent years, the event has evolved with more professional polish, attracting thousands of alumni and keynote addresses from renowned speakers.

6. Dance Marathon

Purdue University Dance Marathon — better known as PUDM — is the largest student-run philanthropic organization on campus. Founded in 2005, Purdue’s first dance marathon lasted 12 hours, was held in the Armory, and raised $1,500. During the 2018 event, 2,047 participants spent 20 hours in the CoRec gyms and raised more than $1.2 million for Riley Hospital for Children. Twenty-five student leaders head 11 committees in the year-round effort to plan and execute the annual event. They do it all “FTK” — for the kids!

7. Bug Bowl

Thirty years ago, a local reporter caught wind that professor Tom Turpin was holding a cockroach race in one of his classes. More than 100 people showed up, and the Bug Bowl was born. Today, it attracts thousands annually. Events include cricket-spitting, bug battles, taste-testing bug-infused recipes, and — of course — cockroach races.

8. Boilermaker Ball

Every year, hundreds of Purdue alumni get together in Indianapolis for a night of fun, dancing, and school spirit. The tradition started in 2007 with an All Aboard train station theme and instantly became an alumni favorite. The 2020 theme, Full Steam Ahead, is going to be an all-out steampunk extravaganza — a mishmash of Victorian aesthetic with futuristic innovation. Mark you calendar for February 29!

9. Homecoming Court

During halftime of the Purdue vs. UCLA game in 1950, Sharon (Taylor) Hamel (HHS’54) was crowned the University’s first Homecoming Queen. The first Homecoming King wasn’t named until 1989, when Walt Quinn (M’91) wore the crown. In 2018, the king and queen labels were scrapped in favor of a gender-neutral Homecoming court. The title of Homecoming Royalty is bestowed on the top two candidates, regardless of gender. The 2018 court recognized eight women and two men.

the marching band plays at nigth wearing outfits that are lit by led lights — The Night Train Parade on Friday evening kicks off Homecoming celebration at Purdue. (Purdue University/ Mark Simons)

10. Night Train Parade

Led by the Boilermaker Special, the Boilermaker Night Train Parade features more than 50 light-bedecked floats — half of which are built by students. The “All American” Marching Band accessorizes its uniforms with lights as well.

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