Moorpark College filled the quad and Raider Walk with food, games and booths as part of its first annual Spring Festival on March 17.

The festival was open to the community and complimented two pre-existing events- America’s Teaching Zoo’s Spring Spectacular, as well as the Child Development Center’s Discovery Day.

“It’s a way to both connect our surrounding community, invite them onto our campus and have them visit our various programs,” said the college president, Luis Sanchez. “But it’s also a way for prospective students to become familiar with our campus and become intrigued by it.”

The Spring Festival invited local community members as well as current and prospective students with a carnival-themed day of various activities for people of all ages. Sanchez decided to bridge Spring Spectacular with Discovery Day after realizing that they coincided on the same weekend. The Spring Festival was created to connect the events and showcase the depth of programs offered at Moorpark.

Event organizers April Montez and Kristen Robinson were a large part in gathering the different academic organizations to join in the festival.

Raider Walk was alive with an assortment of games, crafts and informative booths that represented many of the programs and opportunities offered on campus. Tickets were given at both entrances for each visitor to receive a free hot dog and shaved ice. For the kids, there was a bounce-house obstacle course, as well as face painting and games. Home Depot hosted a pottery station, and there was a Roamin’ Relics Classic Car Show for the adults.

Clubs such as the Chemistry Club and the newly-formed Middle Eastern Club made a presence, offering information on their activities as well as candy and projects for kids. The Maker’s Space had a booth set up as well, showing the recently-started program with their 3D printer and laser cutter. Representing the Maker Space was 23-year-old Film Television Media major Reece Oliver, as well as 25-year-old Fine Arts major Grant Weigel.

“It just started recently in the last year through a grant, and it’s all kind of happening and growing,” said Weigel. “Through events like this and as we work in the Campus Center, the sculpture studio and the Communications building – it’s happening all around campus.”

Current students attended on Saturday, as well as high school students who will be attending Moorpark in the near future. Prospective nursing student Stephanie Osuna, 18, visited the campus for the first time with fellow student Nikita Geller, 17, at the Spring Festival.

“We just walked around the booths,” said Osuna. “We also walked around the campus to explore a little.”

Many of the visitors were accompanied by children, who were offered a ride on an electric train that transported them from one end of the campus to the other. Andy Barton, husband of a staff member on campus, attended with his granddaughter and participated in the fun all down Raider Walk.

“We’ve done nutrition, we did volleyball, we did the law thing, kinesiology,” said Barton. “Now we are getting her face painted!”

Sanchez hopes to make the Spring Festival an annual attraction for the community and anyone interested in knowing what Moorpark College has to offer.