Mirthday, UMSL’s annual celebration of spring, will kick off at noon April 17 and run to 4 p.m. on Parking Lot D on the south side of the Millennium Student Center. The celebration includes carnival rides, and booths, inflatables, snow cones, cotton candy and lots more. The Mirthday concert will begin at 7 p.m. at the Blanche M. Touhill Performing Arts Center and will feature the music of Grouplove, Neon Trees and The Capital Kings. (Photo by August Jennewein)
Tegan Klevorn refuses to think about bad weather, even though it’s St. Louis and April brings showers and an occasional tornado. As coordinator of student activities, Klevorn oversees Mirthday, the annual student carnival and spring celebration held outdoors at the University of Missouri–St. Louis. Just as the name implies – Mirthday is for frivolity, especially if it involves laughter.
“I never look at the weather forecast beforehand,” Klevorn said. “There are too many other things to think about.”
However, she quickly admits to “peeking” (at a forecast) 10 days out from the celebration, which runs from noon to 4 p.m. April 17. The carnival is set up in Parking Lot D on the south side of the Millennium Student Center.
Thrill seekers will find carnival rides and large inflatables for jumping and bouncing. There will be snow cones, cotton candy, hot dogs and other goodies. There will be booths to test your skills and a roving magician has been added to the festivities.
This year there’s a booth-decorating contest. Student organizations, departments, staff and campuswide organizations are encouraged to decorate their booths for the UMSL Jubilee. Klevorn said the two best decorated booths will each receive $250 for a program during the 2013-14 academic year.
This year’s Mirthday concert will begin at 7 p.m. and will be held in Anheuser Busch Hall at the Blanche M. Touhill Performing Arts Center. Tickets are $5 for UMSL students with an ID (limit four); $20 for the general public. Tickets can be purchased online or at the Touhill ticket office, 314-516-4949. Students on the University Program Board chose three bands this year.
Co-headliners are Grouplove a Los Angeles-based indie band, and Neon Trees, an alternative rock band from Provo, Utah. The Capital Kings, a Washington, D.C., Christian pop band, will open for the headliners. Klevorn said ticket sales are running ahead of last year’s concert.
The five members of Grouplove met in 2009, started playing in 2010 and by the end of that year were recognized as one of the top ten best new bands. They have been touring ever since. Their 2011 single “Tongue Tied” appeared in an iPod Touch commercial. It hit number one on the Modern Rock charts and has sold more than 1 million singles. Grouplove has appeared on several television shows including “Late Show with David Letterman,” “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” and “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.”
Neon Trees’ lead singer Tyler Glenn and his neighbor Chris Allen formed the band in 2005, later adding Branden Campbell and Elaine Bradley. They gained national attention in 2008 when they were chosen to open for The Killers on their North American tour. Neon Trees released their debut album, “Habits,” in 2010. During 2011 they appeared on numerous television shows including “Conan,” “Late Show with David Letterman” and three times on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.” They have toured extensively in recent years.
