One of the longest-running campus events at the University of Saskatchewan is shirking tradition to draw in a bigger crowd for the celebration of its 50th.

Students across all colleges expect a memorable campus party to kick off their school year, and Edwards Business Students’ Society always delivers. The tradeoff for hosting this event is making enough from ticket sales to fund the EBSS operating budget for the year as well as the clout that comes with hosting a great party. 

Iconically, this event is known for being held on a Monday night. The cruellest of instructors scheduled quizzes for the Tuesday morning, knowing full well the turnout will be abysmal and revelling in the satisfaction of being a buzzkill.

Thankfully, LB5Q has taken that sweet satisfaction away from those miserable academics while also eliminating the tough choice between studying or partying — by moving it instead to Friday. 

While the name of the event is a bit unpalatable, it gives a nod to its earlier incarnation as the frosh event Little Buddy Big Buddy BBQ. It was an Edwards exclusive bash where senior level students would take a first-year — their little buddy, if you will — and bring them to a field outside the city and get them trashed. 

As campus culture has evolved to exclude hazing activities, so have the annual bush parties adapted to concerns over liability and student safety. 

In 2013, busloads of inebriated students were corralled to an  “undisclosed location” — a farmer’s field set up with a bar, a stage with a DJ and a fenced mosh pit.

In recent years, it stayed outside but moved to the Prairieland Park exhibition grounds. Lately, the organizers have opted to go indoors to the large Prairieland halls and have stuck there since. Turnout made a slight dip, but as of last week, organizers reported that they were close to selling out 2,500 tickets.

Hosting a massive party is no small feat, but Edwards School of Business has a culture of self-sufficiency, and the EBSS embodies that mentality by budgeting and co-
ordinating all the logistics to pull off LB5Q. 

Gareth Royeppen, a fifth-year human resources student and an organizer for the event, says attendees can anticipate a surprise at the event. While he wasn’t able to elaborate on the details, he let it slip that there was a strong likelihood of confetti cannons and 1,800 glow sticks being involved.

Students can anticipate a high energy event with stage alternating between three DJs. At the bar, students can soothe their remorseful binge drinking by purchasing charity shots and feel good that part of their purchase will be going towards a charity of the EBSS’s choice.

The date is set for Sept. 20, doors open at 8 p.m. and last call is at 1:15 a.m. That’s five hours to get your full LB5Q experience. My advice? Plan your night accordingly and pre-drink prior to arriving. Don’t get so rowdy that you get kicked out.

Things you need to bring to LB5Q: two pieces of identification, your cell phone, keys and cab money. Avoid getting your flask getting confiscated by security by just leaving it at home.

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Nykole King/ Editor-in-Chief

Photo: Victoria Becker/ Photo Editor