Everyone knows about the famous Lehigh-Lafayette rivalry game, but the events on campus the week before help add to the magic and tradition that make Le-Laf week the spectacle it is. The events of the week started Wednesday with the Bed Races. Bed Races originally started out as a part of Greek Week in the spring, and the course went straight down the Hill in home-modified dorm beds that looked like this:
“Four Chi Psi brothers exceed the speed limit as their bed heads for the finishing line during Friday’s Bed Races. The afternoon’s activities were marred when the first bed down the Hill plowed into a group of spectators, sending two to the hospital.” (Courtesy of The Brown and White Archives)
This wasn’t very safe, so now Bed Races go horizontally down the Memorial Walkway in specially engineered bed cars. This year, Bed Races also changed to time trials instead of a bracket.
Thursday’s activities started out with the 60th annual Turkey Trot. The race covers approximately 2.4 miles, starting at Packer Memorial Church, going up and down the Hill, and ending at the UC Front Lawn. The race also coincided with Too Hot to Trot, a walking version of the Turkey Trot.
From left: David Kabrt, ’17, Jake Trivilino, ’19, Connor Bradley ’16, and Ryan Betts, ’19, get ready to run in the turkey trot on Thursday, Nov. 17, 2016. All have ran in previous years. (Ian Smith/B&W Staff)Runners prepare themselves at the starting line for the Turkey Trot on Thursday, Nov. 17, 2016. The Turkey Trot is a long lived Lehigh tradition.(Ian Smith/B&W Staff)
Thursday evening finished out with the Slow Burn Bonfire. Lehigh had historically held bonfires during Le-Laf week, collecting items from the South Side to pile on campus and set ablaze. The tradition was lost somewhere along the way, but Lehigh After Dark brought it back. The event featured food, games, a banner contest and other activities such as a visit from the football team.
Firefighters look on as flames grow large at the Lehigh After Dark event Slow Burn at Goodman Campus on Thursday, November 17, 2016. The event featured a DJ, refreshments, giveaways, and appearances by the Marching 97 and the Lehigh football team. (Sarah Epstein/B&W Staff)Students look on towards the massive flames at the Lehigh After Dark event Slow Burn at Goodman Campus on Thursday, November 17, 2016. Students were in awe at the size of the flames. (Sarah Epstein/B&W Staff)Flames burn the crates piled at the Lehigh After Dark event Slow Burn at Goodman Campus on Thursday, November 17, 2016. The event hosted hundreds of students and community members. (Sarah Epstein/B&W Staff)Firefighters are ready to combat flames with a fire hose at the Lehigh After Dark event Slow Burn at Goodman Campus on Thursday, November 17, 2016. The fire department helped to start the burn, and remained at the event as a precaution throughout the night. (Sarah Epstein/B&W Staff)Members of the Lower Saucon Fire Department set a mound of wooden crates on fire at the Lehigh After Dark event Slow Burn at Goodman Campus on Thursday, November 17, 2016. The event is in preparation for the Lehigh-Lafayette football game, being played Saturday, November 19, 2016. (Sarah Epstein/B&W Staff)
The week’s events concluded with Eco-flame. Arguably the most recognizably Le-Laf week tradition, Eco-flame started in the 1970s when Eco 001 professor Rich Aaronson asked the band to play in his class the Friday before the Le-Laf game. Today, the band sends out a Google Form where students can request the band come to their class. The band usually goes to the big classes and spots on campus, such as the two libraries. The Marching 97 also makes some journeys up the Hill and throughout campus during the night during the rest of the week as well.
The marching band invades a class on Friday, Nov. 18, 2016 in Maginnes Hall. As per tradition, the Marching 97 plays their music all over campus the day before the big Lehigh-Lafayette football game. (Delaney McCaffrey/B&W Staff)The Marching 97 plays their music on Friday, Nov. 18, in Fairchild-Martindale Library. The marching band played their many fight songs in anticipation of the big rivalry Lehigh-Lafayette football game. (Delaney McCaffrey/B&W Staff)
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