This Dad’s Weekend is a day of celebration and competition with family for many students at WSU, but not everyone has the privilege of having their Dad be with them this weekend. 

With Thanksgiving so close, not many family members want to make the trek to Pullman     when their student will be home so soon, and it feels futile to possibly waste money and gas on a long trip over. 

But there is a solution to this Dad’s weekend woe, and it’s called “Rad Weekend —a  competition for students for the coveted “Raddest Lad Award.” 

“While it sounds immature and childish to have students compete in a competition for a title with the worst sounding name, it’s purpose is to let students let loose before finals strike,” psychology professor Benny Berkshire said.

Each event on Rad Weekend coincides with Dad’s Weekend. Only Rad Weekend will get a live performance by Insane Clown Posse. 

“For the record we never agreed to have ICP play but they seemingly appeared on the list of performing bands, so if you hate the choice you can’t blame us,” said Sarah Liall, event planner for Rad Weekend. 

Rad Weekend is also home to multiple different competitions and events for people to participate in, with each event giving a certain number of “Points’ to individuals and groups for winning.

The person and the group with the most points wins the two respective trophies for “Raddest Lad”, but be warned however as the challenges are not like any “Dad’s Challenge. 

“They say it’s radical but it wasn’t rad at all. One of the challenges literally involved me and my friends being hurled down Terrell Mall on an office chair, with a crowd of people shouting at us to do tricks as we went down,” said Erwin Peter, a WSU senior.

Not everyone is happy with the idea of Rad Weekend, however, as many people take it as a shameful cash-grab, using shocking bands and events to get people’s attention. 

It’s no wonder that many people have even begun to protest the event, claiming how disturbing and overly rowdy it could become. 

“I don’t want my kids running around campus doing stupid things that can get them killed. That’s supposed to happen at the football game,” said Degan Mulleran, parent of an honors student at WSU. 

While Rad Weekend does face fierce opposition from parents and families, the students overall have found the idea engaging and fun. 

By taking normally boring events and games and turning them on their head, they turn out to be more enjoyable for students and faculty than they would’ve been otherwise. 

“I don’t know if this idea will be accepted by WSU Administration, but if it is it’ll be totally rad!” said Rad Weekend Creator Jaret Wheliver. 

Nobody knows how successful or safe Rad Weekend will be, we might just have to wait and see.