Imagine standing in an ocean of Colby students outside the Alfond Apartments amid splintering temperatures in the middle of the night. Some students around you are wearing snow pants. Others wear parkas, but most are simply shirtless or wearing a bikini top. Among this sea of peculiarly dressed students, two DJs stand on a podium made of ice, wood, blood, sweat,and tears that towers over the crowd. Thick snowflakes plummet down rapidly, each briefly illuminated by the vibrant lights that explode from overhead fixtures. Colby Rugby banners hang and wave from windows and walls, as giant speakers send intense vibrations through the crowd of people. This unique Colby party is known as Polar Patio.
The Colby tradition started right before the COVID-19 pandemic in the winter of 2020. It consists of members of the Colby Men’s rugby team building and providing an outdoor event space in the middle of winter. Men’s rugby president, Matt Quealy, explained that “the Rugby team had the idea to build something outside and throw a party, and it’s now evolved into what it is now.” The name “Polar Patio” came to be after the team acquired a sponsor from the sparkling water brand, Polar Seltzer. “They would send us seltzer, and the Polar Patio shirts would have their logo,” Quealy remembers. He notes, “but they don’t sponsor us anymore.”
Thankfully, losing the Polar Seltzer sponsor hasn’t impacted the event’s turnout. Before this year’s party took place, Quealy was confident that this would be a Polar Patio to remember. “I think we improve upon it a little bit every year. This year we’re trying to get ambitious with what we do, since we’ve been blessed with a lot of snow so far,” he explained. Although the setup was a team effort, freshmen on the rugby team were required to show up and prepare. Freshman Traigh Demasi explains the labor involved, saying “we had to shovel a lot of snow into piles […] we did this for probably two and a half hours, four times.” Although a daunting task, both Quealy and DeMasi agreed that it was a great experience for the team. DeMasi admits, “I had pretty high expectations because while we were building the upperclassmen were talking about how amazing it was.” Afterward, DeMasi was not disappointed. “I think it was really fun, and I think we delivered.”
Two other MVPs of this year’s Polar Patio were sophomores Joe McCartan and Joe Baldassarre, also known as “Joe and Joe.” They were Polar Patios primary DJs. Baldassarre described the atmosphere as “a winter wonderland.” The snow poured down on McCartan and Baldassarre the entire time, to the point where they were using their jackets to protect the technology. “I genuinely thought it was a pretty perfect night. Not a lot went wrong. The only problem was the technology getting wet. We had to put our jackets over the board, and the music kept cutting off.” As a result, they did have to close down a little early, but Baldassarre admits he thought it was worth it for the overall aesthetic. McCartan and Baldassarre started the night mixing together, and then each performed an hour-long set. Both received vastly positive feedback. First-time attendee, Brennan McVey, said “The music was awesome. Usually, music makes or breaks a party, and I thought the DJs did a great job.” Baldassarre explained that his set was cumulative of all the various song requests he’d gotten DJing his first semester. “It’s developed to what Colby kids like.” It was particularly impressive considering Baldassarre got his first DJ board his freshman year at Colby. Baldassarre advertised future Rugby parties, mentioning that “if you make it to the Rugby apartment after 11:00 you’ll be sure to see Joe and Joe doing a set.”
It is safe to say that Rugby hosted a very successful Polar Patio. It is necessary, however, to acknowledge the email all students received from the Student Government Association and Senior Apartment residents on Friday, February 21st, regarding the event. The email was in response to student safety concerns. The email reads “During Polar Patio, there were multiple students in need of medical assistance. As staff and student volunteers were working tirelessly to provide care to a student in critical condition, other students continued to congest hallways, taking videos and drinking without care.” An anonymous member of Campus Emergency Response explained that “after the fire alarm got pulled, people started shoving the medics and security aside, cursing at them and just disrespecting the people trying to give medical care.” Overall, the source thought it was disturbing and dangerous, adding “I think people need to be more mindful that we are really lucky that Colby is a space where anyone can show up and go to a party. Let’s not ruin that.”
None of the safety concerns were linked to the Rugby team, and the Colby students should be excited for what’s to come from them in the future. When asked if Polar Patio would be better next year, Traigh DeMasi assertively replied “Of course.” Baldassarre unfortunately will not be present at Polar Patio next year due to his study abroad, however assures that“the team will do great.” Quealy’s final remarks were simply, “It’s always a big hit. I’ve enjoyed it in my time here. It’s something we’re going to keep going for a long time.”
~ Molly Garvey `28
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