“I think he has a lot of things to make up for, and it’s a start,” Mitchell said.

Fun Ventures, Inc., the company that provided rides, employed about 30 Harvard students to staff the rides for $100.

“It was a pretty good deal for $100,” said Joseph P. Chase ’02, who worked at the Sand Art booth.

About 20 student groups received grants from the council to staff tables at Springfest.

N. Erkut Kucukboyaci ’04 of the Friends of Turkey Club that gave out cheese pastries and ran backgammon tournaments said he appreciated the chance to introduce students to his club.

“It was great publicity,” he said.

Several other clubs under the umbrella of the Environmental Action Committee set up an “Earth Day Area” in Lowell Small Courtyard (see related story, this page) and handed out free ice cream and Nalgene water bottles and encouraged students to sign various petitions.

The only criticism of Springfest seemed to be that there was no alcohol served.

“Next year we should have beer kegs in Eliot courtyard,” said David J. Gorin ’03.

Overall, students said they were pleased with this year’s Springfest.

“I’m finally seeing my money go somewhere good,” said Keirse G. Crockett ’04, who was repairing student bicycles for the Mountain Biking Club.

—Staff writer Claire A. Pasternack can be reached at cpastern@fas.harvard.edu.