Springfest
Following the cancellation of the annual Jubilee concerts, UNC—Chapel Hill students started a new tradition in 1974 known as Springfest. Originally envisioned as a multiday arts and music festival, Springfest turned into a day-long concert by local bands on "Connor Beach," the lawn in front of Connor dorm. By the mid-1980s Springfest crowds ranged from 3,000 to 5,000 people. Students brought kegs and coolers to the increasingly alcohol-fueled event. The size of the crowds and the amount of beer consumed began to concern campus officials, especially after the legal drinking age was raised to twenty-one in 1986. In 1990 alcohol was banned from the event, and in 1991 the campus housing department denied a permit for the concert, citing concerns over liability.