Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (July 28, 1983)
ippin’ them tall pitchers of beer What with rigorous class loads, tons of textbooks and often a part-time job or two, you’d think University students would have no time for distracting ‘‘ex tracurricular activities." But there is one free-time activity many students attend as regularly as class — some even more — the (in)famous beer gardens. At week’s end, as many as 1,500 students — and even some faculty — gather at the impromptu watering hole set up in the EMU’s large cafeteria to unwind after a grueling week of also grueling study. But behind the beer garden’s mellow atmosphere are hard-working EMU food service employees and Cultural Forum staff members. Because thirsty students guzzle an average of 16 to 18 kegs per garden, there must be several “bartenders,” table bussers, and security “guards" watching the cafeteria's several en trances, as well as checking ID at the door. There must be plenty of cheap eats, as well, to soak up the alcoholic suds. Students gobble lots of popcorn, 25-cent hot dogs and burritos. Food Service director Jim Covington says he’s “tried just about everything" in the way of food at the gardens. “Peo ple will buy anything for less than 50 cents,” he says. At the first-ever outdoor beer gardens, which were held on the Alder Street tennis courts last spring term, students guzzled a record 55 kegs, top ped off by barbecued chicken. Although the gardens’ phenomenal success is making them a permanent campus fixture, until 1976 they did not exist. Beer garden founder Shane Tappen dorf originally created the weekly cam pus “tavern” to provide a showcase for new, local bands. “When I envisioned the beer gardens at the University, I envisioned a very successful program, and I envi sioned a place for new acts to per form," says Tappendorf, who was a Cultural Forum staff member when he began the gardens. Tappendorf is cur rently general manager of Double Tee Concert Line, a concert promotion business. ‘‘I am not surprised at all” by the beer garden’s success, he says. But when the first beer garden opened its doors, there were not the long lines or large crowds that typify today’s gardens. Back then, 100 beer gardeners was considered a "crowd.” That was just the way Tappendorf wanted the gardens to begin. Because serving alcohol on campus was a first for the University, Tappendorf didn’t want to make waves with ad ministrators. Oregon State University students are still trying to start a similiar program at their more conser vative school. "We were very cautious about get ting this thing (the beer gardens) together. So we started them with a low profile," Tappendorf says. Surprisingly, the University’s ad ministration was a big help in getting the gardens firmly "planted,” Tappen dorf says. “We (the Cultural Forum staff) received great support from the administration” in starting the gardens. All in all, I would say the ad ministration worked very carefully with us,” he says. In turn, the forum staff compromised with the administration by not holding beer gardens during New Student Week when many under-age freshmen might try to sneak in with the "legal age” crowd. i ne uregon Liquor control Commis sion has also kept close tabs on the state’s only campus beer garden. Every time there is a beer garden, the OLCC must first approve a license. Yet the OLCC has also been “very helpful" with instructing security guards how to spot fake ID, Covington says. Despite the weekly mobs of sometimes tipsy students, the beer garden’s problems have been minimal, he says. And as the beer gardens grow in at tendance, so, too, do its profits. “Gardeners” must down about eight kegs just for the EMU Food Service to break even. During the summer when the crowds are smaller, most beer gardens barely break even. Beer comprises 40 percent of total garden costs, but Covington also must pay food service employees who work at the gardens. During the academic year, the average garden sells 16 to 18 kegs of beer, which means a $450 to $500 pro fit, Covington says. These profits go back into the food service budget, which funds such food outlets as the Skylight, Deli and catering van. The Cultural Forum, which hires the bands who play at the gardens, receives none of the profits because they are funded by the Incidental Fee Committees. The forum also hires about 15 security guards for each event. With the exception of the monthly Emerald photo Campus beer gardens offer a place for students to relax and enjoy a break from study, study, study. ballroom gardens, the other gardens have no admission fee, and Jan War ren, a Cultural Forum program advisor, wants to keep it that way. "We're not in this to make money off it,” she says. The appeal of the beer gardens is more than economic, though. It’s not unusual to see a throng of garden-goers gyrating to live music on the cafeteria’s small dance floor. "We try and do a wide variety of programm ing to satisfy everybody’s interests,” Warren says. The forum does just that. All kinds of bands, from new wave to disco to punk to polka have entertain ed beer garden crowds, with names like The Sneakers, The Robert Cray Band, The Polka Pipers and even the Porcupines. When the gardens first began, the Cultural Forum had to advertise for bands who’d be willing to play at the three-hour event for a meager $100 set fee. But since the beer gardens became successful in the last few years, ‘‘lots of bands have wanted to play. Now we’re inundated with re quests,” Warren says. Beer garden “gigs” are enjoyable for musicians as well as the listeners because the large crowds are generally enthusiastic and receptive, she says. “They (the musicians) get a tremen dous response and they get to perform in front of such a large group of people.” Occasionally, the beer garden founder returns to his old stomping grounds, and if there’s a garden, he’ll step in to check on his “creation.” Looking back on the effort, Tappendorf says “It was a lot of work but it was well worth it.” Many University students would agree. 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