The Murphree Area has got meat.
More than 250 students and alumni gathered around the Murphree Commons Courtyards from noon to 4 p.m. Sunday to enjoy live entertainment, a 30-foot-tall water slide, the mild fall weather, a chance to pie residential assistants in the face and, of course, meat.
About 200 sausages, 80 hotdogs and 50 veggie burgers were served to the UF community at the eighth annual SausageFest cookout, hosted by the Murphree Area Council and the area's RAs.
The cookout was free and open to the public, but participants could purchase T-shirts for $10 and pie RAs in the face for $1 to help raise money for the Humane Society.
Organizers raised about $150 for the nonprofit organization, according to Joey Prusa, SausageFest committee chairman and Murphree RA.
Former Murphree Area resident Beach Brooks and his classic rock and jazz band provided live entertainment.
"This is a good time for the residents of Murphree area and all of their friends to come out, enjoy the nice weather and participate in a tradition that's eight years strong," said Murphree Area Residence Life Coordinator Matt Scruggs.
Visitors splashed around in the biggest water slide to be featured in the history of SausageFest, and they enjoyed cotton candy, water, lemonade and a new addition to the event, snow cones.
With a budget of about $600, organizers were able to purchase about triple the number of sausages they did last year, according to Prusa.
SausageFest has become one of the most notable events put on by MAC and draws the attention of students from all over campus such as Vera Musah, a health education and behavior senior.
"I needed to experience SausageFest since it's my last year," Musah said. "I'll go on the slide, get some food and meet some new people. It's kind of like tailgating without the game."
As for the sausage, it was, as described by psychology sophomore Claudia Noah as she took a bite from the freshly grilled link, "awesome."
Jonathan Braam, a 19-year-old electrical engineering major, and Torri Cicchirillo, a 19-year-old wildlife ecology major, sit and enjoy a sausage at Murphree Area's eighth annual SausageFest.
