Every year, amidst the bustling academic ambiance at Tech, a quaint yet heartwarming event unfolds, offering a brief yet cherished respite to the students — the Grand Games Gameshow.
This light-hearted gathering has swiftly nestled itself into the affections of the campus community, marking it as an emerging Tech tradition. The Grand Games Gameshow, has come a long way from its initial guise
as the “The Price is Right.’’
Currently, the event exemplifies a laid-back, fun-filled rendezvous, where the agenda is straightforward yet heartfelt: enjoy and let enjoy. The transformation from a price-guessing game to a diverse assortment of playful challenges showcases a modest but meaningful evolution.
To delve deeper into the nuances of the games, the Technique interviewed Parker Green, fourth-year BA and Director of Programming at the Residence Hall Association (RHA), who provided an insightful peek behind the curtain of this Gameshow tradition.
“We did it for the vibes,” Green says as he describes the origins of the game show.
In recognizing the diverse interests and preferences, Tech’s RHA arrived at a pivotal question: why settle on a singular theme for an event when the variety itself could be the allure?
This line of thought birthed a new framework for the Grand Games Gameshow. The aim shifted towards crafting an event that was less about adhering to a particular theme and more about providing a broad
spectrum of entertainment.
This change in approach allowed for more prizes to be distributed across a multitude of games — keeping the
engagement lively and rewarding.
The reimagined format was designed to maintain the quality of engagement akin to previous events but with a more relaxed and inclusive ambiance.
By transitioning to a gameshow format that embraced a variety of games rather than a singular theme, RHA ensured that the essence of fun and camaraderie remained intact while making room for more spontaneous enjoyment and rewards for the participants.
In past years, the RHA hosted games that focused heavily on the presentation rather than the games themselves. Green said this year was different because the Grand Games Gameshow offered over 100 prizes
with $2,000 of prize money.
“With a lot of money left from the budget this year, we have a lot of creative freedom that we are using for prizes which is pretty exciting,” Green said.
RHA made sure to pack the event with a variety of entertaining games and prizes. From “Guess the Location” to “Name That Movie Quote,” and quick-fire challenges like “Minute to Win It,” there was something for everyone. The highlight was a competitive marble race where the top 10 scorers won prizes.
Green claims that the Grand Games Gameshow is all about shaking off the serious, diving into the fun and enjoying the casual camaraderie on campus. It’s a chance to do something out of the ordinary, laugh out loud and remember that college life can be fun too.
With the less formal and more friendly approach, this event is a breath of fresh air in a demanding academic environment.
“[This is] our first big show, not extremely put together, but well assembled in a casual, not professional way. It’s about admitting to do[ing] something silly, having a blast with it, rather than taking something serious and doing it poorly. It’s the cheaper route to having a good time,” Green said.
In the recently concluded event, the organizers observed a significant turnout and engagement of 170 students with an expectation of 279 that signed up. Among the various games featured, marble racing emerged as a crowd favorite. It wasn’t just an engaging spectacle but also a catalyst for mass crowd participation, creating a lively and competitive atmosphere that resonated well with the attendees.
The event was a blend of traditional and creative games — each designed to offer a unique experience to the participants and spectators alike. Despite the meticulous planning, “Minute to Win It” and the “Spelling Bee” segments did not resonate with participants as much as anticipated.
While the intention behind including these new segments to the event was to offer a wider range of activities, some events attracted a larger crowd than others.
In retrospect, the event was a learning curve, an opportunity to understand the dynamics of audience engagement better.
The insight gained from the games’ varying levels of success will undoubtedly serve as a valuable resource in optimizing the selection of
activities for upcoming events.
The Grand Games Gameshow is not just an event; it is a reflection of the lively and inclusive community fostered by RHA at the Institute. It leaves behind memories of laughter, new friendships and the anticipation for the fun next year’s game show will bring.