Only drinking to do?

“There’s nothing else to do in Fredonia on the weekend, besides drink.” It’s a claim most of us have heard, prefaced with that popular rumor that circulated in high school: that college is one big drunken celebration. A few conversations with Fredonia students – and four years of exploration at Fredonia – yielded these findings, however:

On campus…

SPECTRUM ENTERTAINMENT BOARD hosts a variety of free music and entertainment events every semester, including Winter Welcome Week (which this year included a screening of Where the Wild Things Are, Open Mic Night and a “make your own CD” event), Activities Night, the Psychic Fair and Hanging of the Greens (an evening of Carols and Christmas activities in the Williams Center Multi-Purpose Room). Spectrum also brings comedians, magicians and other professional entertainers to campus, and coordinates Fredonia’s annual full day concert, Fred Fest. Jessey Drake, E-board member of Spectrum and senior music business major, said, “We all work very hard to try not only to bring quality entertainment to campus but entertainment that everyone can enjoy.”

PERFORMANCES on campus. The beauty of attending a liberal arts school is that there are too many of these to count. Student recitals happen frequently and are always free. Faculty recitals and ensemble performances in the School of Music also occur on a regular basis. A plethora of events are produced by the Department of Theatre and Dance each semester, including dance performances and mainstage productions like Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet and The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Student run groups like Orchesis and Performing Arts Company (PAC) also present recitals and plays each semester. For dates and times, go to www.fredonia.edu and select “Daily Calendar” from the calendars list.

WHOA (Weekend Hang Out Activities) offers free late night entertainment opportunities ranging from “The Oscar Party,” which provides dinner for the price of one meal while the Oscars play live on a large projection screen, and Black Light Volleyball (in the past) to Midnight BBQ and Relay for Life (upcoming).

THE SPOT provides regular free entertainment in an informal setting that allows listeners and participants to flow in and out as the caffeine moves them. Look for poetry readings, open mic nights, acoustic shows by local musicians, and other intimate performances.

GALLERY OPENINGS in the Rockefeller Arts Center are open to the public and offer free food and drink on select Friday evenings throughout the semester. Past shows highlighted performance art, animation, prints made by German undergraduate art students, a glowing fort and graffiti art. Look for interactive installations, wax avians and some very unusual dolls in upcoming shows.

Off campus…

POINT GRATIOT BEACH, located a mere four miles away from the Fredonia campus, is located in a state park on the edge of Lake Erie. Shelters and grills are available for cooking out, and climbable shale cliffs create hidden inlets ideal for picnics and beachcombing.

ARKWRIGHT FALLS is another excellent option for the out-of-doors types. Labeled a “tiered” waterfall by northeastwaterfalls.com, this tumultuous stretch of Canadaway Creek is located seven and a half miles away from campus (a feasible bike ride for the willing cyclist) and features various wading and splashing opportunities. Trails are also available for hiking, traversing dramatic ridges and overlooking glacier-plowed gorges.

LUCKY LANES BOWLING ALLEY (on Bennett Rd. across from Denny’s) is a cheap and classic good time. Shoes and one game cost $5.50, and homemade milkshakes are available at the snack stand inside. Colorful murals enhance the retro feel, and an attached arcade provides further entertainment for the game connoisseur.

FREDONIA OPERA HOUSE, located on Temple St. next to the Fredonia Police Station, shows movies twice a week as part of their “Cinema Series” in a beautifully renovated, elaborately Victorian setting. They also run a “Folk in Fredonia Music Series,” the Fredonia
Storytelling Festival, and host the School of Music’s annual “Opera Scenes.” Past Opera House movies include Crazy Heart starring Jeff Bridges, It’s Complicated with Meryl Streep and Alec Baldwin, and Sony Picture’s Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs. Upcoming shows include Young Victoria with Emily Blunt and Jim Broadbent (a film about the political intrigue and family drama swirling around Victoria, 17 year old heir to the British throne) and The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus, a tale of a man who won a bet with the devil from director Terry Gilliam. Movie admission is $5 for students and $7 for adults (fredopera.org).

MOVIEPLEX 59 recently re-opened, for those who want a more traditional cinema experience. Enjoy a bag of popcorn and take in the latest flicks. Alice in Wonderland, The Bounty Hunter, She’s Out of My League and The Last Song are up this week.

WISHBERRY and INTERMEZZO COFFEE HOUSE both provide a relaxed environment and delicious snacks enhanced by live music and locally created artwork on a regular basis. Located in the downtown area (Wishberry is on Main, across from Ellicottville Brewing Company; Intermezzo is on Park Place, adjacent to Barker Commons), Wishberry also carries merchandise for the incense burning crowd, while Intermezzo focuses on food production and coffee brewing.