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Photos: Oliver Todd
Saturday saw both Goodfest and York Carnival draw huge crowds in a successful day for both events.
The success of Goodfest, now in its second year, was particularly impressive, following licensing issues that saw this year’s event go without a bar. However, this in turn saw last year’s problem of small licensed areas eradicated, and Goodricke chair Nacho Hernando told Vision that he believed the change had been beneficial, as “people are more free to move around where they want.”
Throughout the day the event saw performances from SambaSoc and the York Hornets, while students had the opportunity to sponge the likes of Dan Walker, and enjoy the festival vibe that Goodfest sought to produce, with face-painting and a barbecue also available.
The evening saw a RAG bachelor auction, as well as live performances from bands including Chuck Jager and Sugarking. The evening ended, after a silent disco, at 1am.
Early estimates put the overall attendance during the day at 250 students, with around 350 enjoying the evening events.
Hernando felt that, on the whole, the event had been a roaring success, although he admitted: “we’ve been let down a bit by the weather. Otherwise, it’s good to see the Goodrickers are here enjoying themselves. It’s good to see the college spirit come out.”
One Janet Baker resident, Craig Etherington, was surprised at the success of the event, explaining that “it was a lot better than I was expecting.” Another first-year Goodricke student, Chris Smith, agreed with Hernando, saying: “the weather wasn’t great, but all in all, it’s been a good day.”
York Carnival, making its seventh appearance on the events calendar, was – as ever – popular with both the local community and students, despite funding cuts caused by slashed local-government budgets.
Originally started to bring down the “social barriers” between students and local residents, this year was no different, with the Outer Space theme well-displayed by the hundreds who participated. Sophia Steiger, a member of Tell Tale Theatre, who had a stall at the Carnival, said: “It was great to let people from outside the university know who we are and what we do.” The occasion was equally enjoyed by the revellers who weren’t participating. One commented, “It’s always a beautiful display every year. It seems to be really inclusive of the city community as a whole. I’m already looking forward to next year’s Carnival!”
Both events passed without incident and were a shining example of the successes of student-led events both on- and off-campus, despite both facing some adversity.