Rising from the ashes of an outlawed Dartmouth summer tradition, Fieldstock replaced Tubestock in 2006 with a "15-minute chariot race and a barbecue in the BEMA that no one attended," according to Amy Newcomb, assistant director of Collis Center and Student Activities. This year, Fieldstock evolved into a week-long, campus-wide affair, featuring events that ranged from a pie-throwing contest to a runway competition.
"The Class of 2010 made it an event comparable to Green Key weekend," Newcomb said. "I think in a couple of years it will be fully ingrained into Dartmouth tradition."
Fieldstock festivities, which featured a week-long Summer Olympics competition, began last Monday with opening ceremonies on the Green. The event, which featured free ice cream and a tug-of-war contest, drew a large crowd. Any team that correctly answered a trivia question could "win" a Gamma Delta Chi fraternity member for the team.
"We tried not to make the events super serious," Rob Hoffman '10, who co-directed the Fieldstock Summer Olympics, said. "It was supposed to be fun, not extremely competitive."
The Olympics concluded on Saturday with a chariot race and an awards ceremony, which was accompanied by a cover band and campus-wide barbecue. The top three teams collectively won $500 to donate to the charities of their choice.
"I think participation increased because teams were playing for something more than pride," Newcomb said.
The first place winners, known as "Triple D's on the Poppler Doppler," attended every scheduled event. The team finished with almost triple the number points of its closest rival, according to Hoffman. The Triple D's gave its winnings to the DREAM organization.
"When you're as handsome as we are, and you have an opportunity to wear short-shorts and a tank top for a full week, the decision of whether to compete is a no-brainer," Noah Glick '10, the team's captain, said of the victory.
This year marks the first time that many of the 28 participating teams were not affiliated with a Greek organization, according to Newcomb.
"Although the schedule had things hosted by a lot of frats, much of the best participation was from unaffiliated people," Dan Moore '10, who planned the Olympics with Hoffman, said. "We were trying to make it a campus-wide event, not just a Greek thing, while also recognizing that frats and sororities were also vital in making everything happen."
Planning for this summer's Fieldstock began in early June and included members of Student Assembly, Programming Board, Class Council, Greek Leadership Council and Panhellenic Council. The groups worked together without any "territorial feel," Newcomb said.
This type of cooperation and hard work will have a lasting effect and may help Fieldstock become a Dartmouth tradition on par with Green Key, she added.
"I was shopping at the Co-op [Food Store] the other day, and I saw postcards of Tubestock for sale, saying it was a 'Dartmouth tradition,'" Newcomb said. "Hopefully, one day we'll see some Fieldstock postcards."
Fraternities and sororities also planned more parties this year, according to Annie Rittgers '09, 2009 Class Council president.
"[Sigma Nu fraternity] didn't do their 80s party last year," Rittgers said. "At [Kappa Delta Epsilon sorority], it was just a dance party; this year it was Tackies. It sounds like everything was more elaborate."
Participation dipped as the week progressed, which planners attributed to rainy conditions.
"No one wants to do a slip n' slide in 50-degree weather," Hoffman said.
Friday's carnival, which was scheduled to take place on the Gold Coast lawn, was relocated to Collis Common Ground as a result of the weather.
While the allure of Tubestock still remains in the minds of most members of the Class of 2010, the lost tradition may soon be unknown to future Dartmouth students, 2010 Class Council vice president Max Pollack '10 said.
"I think we are the last class that has Tubestock as a tradition to idealize," he said. "After us, Tubestock will slowly disappear, and Fieldstock will be there."
