The ongoing tradition of the Hoe Down Days celebration has come and gone at Cerritos College, bringing three fun-filled days of music, games, activities and tasty delights for everyone to enjoy.

Festivities kicked off last Tuesday, with a Carnival Block Party along the quad’s sidewalk where students were treated to live music and various carnival games.

As students enjoyed carnival games like the Basketball Hoops Challenge, The DJ played “La Macarena” and Soulja Boi Tell ‘em’s “Crank Dat,” sparking a flash mob of over 20 dancing students to burst into the quad’s pit.

Associated Students of Cerritos College volunteer Janet Ramirez and her friends couldn’t resist the temptation to dance and join in on the fun. “We heard the songs and we were like: Oh, my God! We know this song! Then everyone jumped in. It was fun to forget that everyone is watching you and just dance” she said.

It was a feat that took everyone by surprise and challenged the thrills of dunking a member of the faculty at the ASCC-sponsored Inter-Council’s Dunk Tank or smashing a pie in the face of participants like Math Club adviser Angie Conley.

Later in the evening at the Social Sciences Patio, chicken sandwiches from Chick-Fil-A, paired with a frosty bottle of Jarritos soda were given to away to students while supplies lasted.

No meal was ever without a show, and the evening’s refreshments were accompanied by the antics of Maureen, Mary Lee, The one woman puppet party.

Ernie Brainy was also present at the patio aboard his mobile game studio to challenge students to trivia pursuit and win movie tickets.

Wednesday morning, Hoe Down Days took over the Student Center to present the annual Chili Cook Off and Mr. Cerritos pageant. The center’s hall filled with the collective aromas of beans, spices and meats seared to perfection by all cook off competitors.

The pageant’s audience saw men from various campus clubs strut the runway in hilarious wardrobes.

Both competitions pitted contestants into rivalries that were eventually resolved. In the end, Mr. Cerritos hopeful Santiago Zuniga emerged victorious. Chili enthusiasts Yajaira Bardales, Angelica Mendoza and Enrique Vivar all won in their respectable categories.

The festivities came to a conclusion on Thursday the 17th with an In-N-Out luncheon served at 11 a.m. on Falcon Square. All students and faculty were invited to enjoy the free meal which included a short cup of Pepsi, sea-salted chips and an In-N-Out cheeseburger fresh off the grill.

All of these activities and complimentary treats were brought for students to enjoy thanks to the collective efforts of both the board of ASCC and the Hoe Down Days planning committee.