Students are invited to swim through a sea of student organizations today-although none of the students will be catching a bite.

CampusFest will be held on the lawn in front of the Union and University Hall from 11 a.m. to 3p.m., and although the annual festivities usually include a free bite to eat, this year’s event will not be providing any free food.

‘There is not money in the budget to pay for food. If you don’t have money to pay a bill, then you just have to cut that from the program,’ said Associate Dean of Students Jeffrey Coats.

Although the free cuisine will be missed, this year’s CampusFest, the first ever held on a Thursday, will bring the University community together and highlight the many organizations on campus. There are over 300 registered student organizations at the University, and the majority of them will be represented at CampusFest.

‘The purpose of CampusFest is not to come eat. Really, CampusFest is designed for students to learn about involvement opportunities on campus and become engaged with BGSU. It’s also a time for students, faculty and staff to reconnect after the summer and celebrate the start of a new school year,’ Coats said.

Student Alumni Connection will be among the many organizations setting up a table at CampusFest.

S.A.C. President Kimberly Westmeyer said the event can help students get involved with co-curricular activities, an integral part of the college experience.

‘They’re called co-curricular activities because they’re enhancing what you learn,’ she said.

Westmeyer said although the event can be overwhelming, it is one of the easiest ways to see what the University has to offer and should not be missed.

‘Being involved in college is a great way to take those classroom experiences and put them in action in real life,’ she said.

Matt Cass, a senior and Telecommunications major, said he’ll miss the free food at CampusFest.

‘That sucks; the free food is why everybody goes,’ he said.’