News

OUSA has been working around the clock to deliver students the biggest Reorientation Week yet, say OUSA figures. Critic staff members dispute the accuracy of this statement, however, having observed the Events team working only until 5pm.

Wednesday 10 July sees the return of the Illuminate Paint Party to Dunedin, and it is set to be the most extravagant yet. In lieu of the plastic-covered Union Hall of years gone by, this year the party is being held at the Forsyth Barr Stadium, with over 3,000 tickets already sold. Partygoers can expect an almost tenfold increase in the amount of Illuminators wielding paint-guns at the crowd, as well as a giant inflatable slide and “paint pool” for attendees to frolic in throughout the evening.

The party begins at 6pm and, at 9pm, four tons of paint will drop from the ceiling in order to facilitate the organisers’ hopes of inventing a Guinness World Record for “biggest paint fight.” Tickets can be purchased for $40 online or at discounted rates from the OUSA office.

However, concerns have been raised about the involvement of Illuminate, after 2011’s Paint Party, held during O-Week and also run by Illuminate, left paint throughout Union Hall.

The lead-up to the event is also set to herald Dunedin’s biggest setback to gender equality since Tui billboards first arrived. Organised alongside the controversial “Dunners Babe of the Day” Facebook group, a promotion entitled “The All-Female Painted Undie Run 500” will be held at 2pm Tuesday and is the only ticket giveaway Illuminate are offering, with 50 up for grabs. As the name suggests, it involves female contestants getting down to their underwear to “take on our specially designed commando course around the Otago Uni campus.” The course consists of seven stages, with a paint fight, “high knees” and “burpees” among the challenges.

Critic encourages all transgendered students to attend the event, as we love it when misogynists get confused.

As the event was organised only shortly before Critic went to print, OUSA Events staff were unavailable to comment on the presence of OUSA’s logo on the Facebook event page, alongside those of Illuminate and ZM. OUSA President Francisco Hernandez did, however, write on Facebook that he “can confirm that this is unsanctioned and that we are in talks with the people who put it up.”

On Thursday, Re-O-Week revelers will return to the Stadium after a hasty wipe-down for Comedy Night, a much-loved feature of past years, which will feature 7 Days star Ben Hurley, with support from Kiwis Tom Furniss and Nick Rado. Tickets are $15.50 from OUSA or TicketDirect.

Saturday is set to round-out Re-O 2013 with a pleasing mix of tastes and tunes. From 6-9pm, the sixth annual International Food Festival will be taking place on the Otago Museum Lawn. In 2012, the Food Festival drew the biggest crowd of the year on campus, with 3,500 people flocking to the Union Lawn to sample cheap and diverse international fare. This year, the Festival will be taking place across and road and has expanded to include not only the usual 13 or so OUSA Clubs, but also the Te Tumu department (who will be putting on a hangi) and companies like Tex Otago.

$2 tokens can be purchased from on-site booths to facilitate quick queuing. These can be traded for meal items costing between $2-$6, allowing students to partake in a round-the-world culinary experience for less than a combo from McDonald’s.

Entertainment will be provided by the appropriately titled reggae band Reo, winner of this year’s local Battle of the Bands, as well as world music ensemble Mama Yeva, the Otaiko Japanese Drummers, and a fire show extravaganza. Though the Festival is weather-dependent, food will be cheaper and better than anything your flatmates could make and industrial heaters promise to battle the potentially chilly temperatures.

Finally, Kiwi drum & bass act Shapeshifter is back in Dunedin as part of the national tour for the group’s recently released eighth studio album, Delta. Playing at the stadium with support from AHoriBuzz, doors open at 8pm and tickets have very nearly all gone – discounted student tickets are available for $30 from OUSA.