By Bre Nichols
Reporter

Sigma Alpha Epsilon and the Baylor Activities Council are teaming up to present the second annual Salsa Fest from 6 to 10 p.m. Thursday, which will feature a salsa-tasting contest, free food and live entertainment from a local cover band.

The event will take place in Traditions Plaza between the Bill Daniel Student Center and Carroll Science Building.

All funds raised at the event will benefit SAE’s philanthropy, the local Boys and Girls Clubs of America.

The organization’s website states its mission is to provide children with an after-school program that gives them “a safe place to learn and grow— all while having fun.”

This year, SAE decided to partner with the Baylor Activities Council in hopes of “expanding the event and making it bigger,” said Sophia Cooper, a sophomore from Saratoga, Calif., and the program coordinator for BAC.

“We’re going to have Nolan Pick and the Sawdust Junkies — a local cover band — free chips and salsa, free snow cones from Penguin Pete’s, and you can’t have a Baylor event without Dr Pepper,” Cooper said.

Houston sophomores JC Rodriguez and John Reul served as Salsa Fest chairs to help plan this year’s event.

Rodriguez, also the SAE philanthropy chair, said the fraternity liked the idea of having a salsa fest as a fundraiser, and this year it is hoping to engage more of the student population.

“After last year, we really wanted it to grow and get bigger so it could become a campuswide event,” Rodriguez said. “Twenty teams participated last year and this year, we’re hoping to have 30 to 35.”

Twenty teams have already signed up to participate in this year’s salsa contest, and more students have emailed wanting to sign up teams, he said.

Teams are allowed to have up to four members, and the entrance fee for each team is $25.

Teams can sign up until noon Thursday by emailing JC_Rodriguez@baylor.edu.

“You come with the salsa already prepared, and then we will have four judges that will taste the salsa. And then teams will be placed in different categories such as spiciest, best overall, craziest or wackiest ingredient,” Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez said he wants everyone to come out and enjoy themselves and to have “one last hurrah before spring break.”

For more information, visit the Campus Program Center located in the SUB or email JC_Rodriguez@baylor.edu or Sophia_Cooper@baylor.edu.