Dixie State University brings ‘The Magic of Dixie’ to D-Week

“The Magic of Dixie” will be cast over Dixie State University’s campus April 9-14, when the campus and community come together to celebrate D-Week 2018. Signified by the “D” on Black Hill glowing red, the 104-year-old tradition of D-Week is similar to Homecoming Week but brings its own set of activities to the university’s spring semester. The DSU Alumni Association will get a head start on the festivities on April 6 by hosting the Movie in the Park event the Friday before the official start of D-Week. Bring blankets and lawn chairs to settle in for the family-friendly film “Tangled.” The classic Disney movie starts at dusk in the Innovation Plaza South Field. Free popcorn will be provided. The Monday of D-Week, April 9, commemorates DSU’s unveiling of the Trailblazer identity and mascot on the first day of D-Week in 2016. Now, Brooks the Bison invites students and community members to his birthday celebration at Food Fest — a tasty roundup of local food trucks. Brooks’ Birthday Party will be held on the lower DSU Encampment Mall from 6 to 8 p.m. A card to taste samples from each vendor is free, and full meals will be available for purchase. The fun will continue on April 10 with the D-Queen Pageant. Talented DSU students will take their skills to the spotlight as they compete for the coveted crown and title of D-Queen. The pageant begins at 7:30 p.m. in the Cox Performing Arts Center, and admission is $10. America’s Got Talent Finalist Comedian Preacher Lawson has been selling out shows across the United States and will bring his entertaining stories and magnetic personality to D-Week on April 11. The show will start at 7:30 p.m. in the M.K. Cox Auditorium and admission is $5. Then be sure to bring family, friends and everyone you know to make history by participating in a record-breaking event at 6 p.m. on April 12 on the Innovation Plaza South Field. Students and the community will come together in attempt to break the Guinness World Record for a group of people eating the most donuts. Get ready for the weekend with D-Week’s most anticipated event — the Great Race. Relay teams of 10 will run, pedal, swim, scoot and slide their way to the finish line. All ages can join in the race, and community members are highly encouraged to participate. The race starts at 5 p.m. on April 13 in Trailblazer Stadium. Following the race, community members are invited to a night of fun, food, treats and games at Dixie’s D-Week Carnival on the South Encampment Mall at 6:30 p.m. D-Day, or the Saturday of D-Week, will start off with the tradition of whitewashing the “D” on Black Hill. Students and community members are invited to meet on the hill at 8 a.m. on April 14. Join in on the singing of the school song before adding a fresh coat of paint to the beloved “D” overlooking Dixie. Breakfast will be served afterward. Later, the Evening of Dixie will be held at 6 p.m. in the Stephen & Marcia Wade Alumni House on April 14. As part of the celebratory evening, alumni and friends will honor four distinguished DSU alumni. D-Week comes to an end on Saturday night with a tradition dating back to before electricity. The glowing-red lights on the “D” on Black Hill will be replaced with firelight to honor when the Dixie State community lit the “D” on fire once a year on D-Week’s final night. All D-Week events are open to the public. For more information on D-Week, visit utahtech.edu/dweek.

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