By Peter Lim
Staff Writer
The Gaming Fest was hosted in Finnegan Fieldhouse with music and community engagement on Sept. 28, from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Timothy McNamara, founder of the Gaming Fest, launched the event with Brother Kolbe Spencer, TOR, and Ann Marie Lata in 2016 to bring together students, faculty, and staff who are interested in or have been to Gaming during their Austria Adventures.
The layout this year was a black mini stage for dancing, an alcohol station, two long tables of the main food, one dessert table, one pretzel table, one pita and gyro table and plenty of seating and space for the attendees.
The assorted Austrian food was provided by Parkhurst Dining, and it varied from the tossed salad with ranch or Italian sauce, German potato salad, pita with sliced gyro meat, a vegetable medley, buttered egg noodles and cabbage, breadsticks, kielbasa, sauerkraut, bratwurst, beer marinated grilled chicken, soft pretzels with beer cheese or whole grain honey mustard, Sacher tarte, apple pie and Linzer tarts.
There was a variety of free Austrian inspired alcohol provided for those over 21 such as Warsteiner Octoberfest, Dunkel, Pumking, Samuel Adams, Woodchuck Hard Cider: Blueberry, Pear Secco and Berry snap.
Robbie Corner, a master’s student said, “I was reminded of this event by some friends because I love German food…I was all on board to come and it was really fun and it seemed like everyone had a good time.”
Isabel Atendido, a senior communication arts major, said, “I love this event so much now because it reminds me of Gaming, which I went to last Fall semester.”
Kateri Wielgos, a senior Theology and Catechetics major, said, “This event is one of Franciscan’s simplest traditions and is very nostalgic because I went to Austria in Spring 2023.”