Students will have the chance to have a cartoon caricature of them drawn at tonight’s Up All Nite.

Up All Nite Blue Invasion: Extreme Sports will be held from 8-11 p.m. in the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union.

This Up All Nite will feature bouncy boxing, a bungee run course, and caricature artists to draw cartoon-like pictures of people. Giveaways for students will include photo key chains with the Up All Nite logo on the back, photo postcards, a Wheaties box with the person’s face on the front and free T-shirts.

The bungee run course is an activity where two people go into a ring and they have bungee cords attached to them.

“It is sort of like a tug-o-war,” said Otis Seawood, special events coordinator for University Board. “The person who pulls down the other person first wins.”

Bouncy boxing will involve two people wearing big inflatable gloves who box in an inflatable ring. The reason Seawood picked these activities for this Up All Nite is because he sees a lot of students enjoying them.

“We have an increased number of novelties such as giveaways and prizes and I think students will enjoy those,” Seawood said.

This Up All Nite will be held on a Wednesday this time, which will be different than in the past.

“The reason (it is on a different day) is mostly because of Martin Luther King Jr. Day,” Seawood said. “We also wanted something different. Students cannot really do anything during the week except go to the (Student Recreation Center).”

Even though there is a change, Seawood thinks that anything UB does will have a great turnout.

“Basically I look at my budget and see what I can work with,” he said. “I look at different companies and see what novelties we can work with.”

The Up All Nite events usually cost around $5,000 and up, Seawood said.

“With this Up All Nite, it is the big kick-off for all students coming back to EIU after break,” Seawood said. “School spirit and being happy to be an EIU Panther will be the main theme.”

Seawood said he wants to start off the year correctly.

Usually UB does about 2-3 Up All Nite events each semester.

To get ready for this event, the Union gives UB a venue and tells them what rooms they can work with.

“They also help us with additional funding,” Seawood said. “The New Student Program and the Parents Club also help us out with additional funding.”

Ceci Brinker, director of Student Life, said she provides any support UB events might need, but that the students in the Special Events Committee work on it together.

Sara Walters, freshman biology major, said that she went to an Up All Nite in the past, but since there were not too many people there, she left pretty early.

“I think I will go to the next one, though,” she said. “It looks like it will be better.”

Patrick Lindstrom, junior sociology major, goes every once and a while.

“I always like winning the free T-shirts and stuff,” he said.

The event will also feature a live DJ and an appearance by Billy the Panther. Light snacks, such as brownies and cookies, will also be available at the event.

“Everyone come out and enjoy yourselves and bring people,” Seawood said.

Heather Holm can be reached at 581-7942 or [email protected].