Kai Luginbuhl – Associate and News Editor

Another Winterfest is in the books. This past weekend continued another year of tradition, in more ways than one. The weekend started off on Thursday at The Gait with a series of great music sets. The Sunburns, an Ottawa-based band that features Bishop’s own, Max Harrison, on guitar, opened the weekend with a packed performance. Following the live band, another Bishop’s student, Ben Meekin, “DJ Meeks,” entertained the crowd with his DJ set. The night ended with the closing act My City. Many students stayed late that Thursday night, but that did not slow them down because the following day, those same faces were found on Church Street for the second annual 2v2 Hockey Tournament. 

The 2v2 tournament was planned and promoted well in advance, with prizes, DJs and giveaways for players and attendees to enjoy. Over 200 students were in attendance, including players representing BU club hockey, Lacrosse, Ottawa and Toronto, who all competed throughout the afternoon while supporters watched.

Later that same night, students  attended an annual backyard party that included skiing and snowboarding tricks for the crowd. Students had a great time socializing while watching the festivities. While many students love the official, planned events of Winterfest, many older students recall a time when off-campus gatherings were just as important as the official ones. Bishop’s has changed in many ways over the past number of years, but those who are about to graduate find great pleasure in seeing students continue to show up for off-campus events to uphold Bishop’s traditions. 

Despite the activities on Thursday and Friday, Bishop’s students still had a lot of energy when Saturday arrived. With the Rail Jam starting at 6 p.m., there was a huge turnout to watch. Following a successful Rail Jam, there were several standout openers, culminating in a performance by Ian Asher, a popular DJ whose top song has nearly 100 million streams on Spotify. The performance got off to a shaky start due to technical difficulties; however, he kept the audience engaged as the issues were quickly resolved and he delivered a strong performance.  

Image courtesy of Pranav Buchineni

The successful completion of Winterfest was a crucial one for both the SRC and the student body. The students of Bishop’s showed up and proved why Winterfest is the most beloved and storied event on campus. With the future of both the Rail Jam and Winterfest not yet confirmed for next year, this year running smoothly was a huge win for those who are hoping for a Bishop’s Winterfest 2027.