In 1990, when Tom Turpin gave an interview as his Entomology 105 students were preparing for the class’s extracurricular cockroach races, the professor had no idea a local radio station would run the story and more than 100 bug enthusiasts would show up to cheer on the insects. The large turnout prompted Turpin to set a weekend aside the following year to showcase not only racing roaches but also the edible delights of insects as food, and the Bug Bowl was born. Held in conjunction with the annual Horticulture Show in 1992, the Bug Bowl and the combined efforts of many Purdue departments ultimately developed into a yearly event known as Spring Fest.

An internationally acclaimed sensation, the festival routinely draws more than 30,000 attendees intent on participating in fun, educational activities representing many facets of Purdue. Popular Spring Fest activities include the Boiler Barnyard, the Botany Club plant sale, and the Veterinary Medicine Open House. Entomological components continue to be referred to as the Bug Bowl; cockroach races at Roachill Downs, an insect petting zoo, and a menu of bug-filled delicacies provide learning opportunities for audiences of all ages.

The Bug Bowl’s cricket-spitting contest, a Guinness World Records–sanctioned sport Turpin introduced at the 1997 event, attracts many competitors and spectators each year. Entrants must place dead house crickets in their mouths, enter the “spitting circle,” and expectorate the creatures within 20 seconds. The six-legged animals have been projected more than 40 feet during the competition’s run.

More information is available at purdue.edu/springfest.