“Milf Fest” returns to Ohio U

With Mom’s Weekend approaching this spring, students will use the weekend as a bonding opportunity where they can show their mom what life is like on campus. However, Mom’s Weekend falls right in the middle of Fest Season and for “festers,” it has taken on a new name: Milf Fest. 

Milf stands for “Mom I’d Like to F***.” 

During Mom’s Weekend, students get the opportunity to show their moms their favorite coffee spot or place to study, the best place for a quick meal, and the picturesque campus of Ohio University. Mothers get to experience what it is like to live a day in the life of their Ohio U student. Mom’s Weekend is typically viewed as a fun and wholesome time that mothers get to spend with their students, however, this year is beginning to look a little different. 

A “Fest Season 2022” poster has been circulating on social media, advertising the commencement of “Milf Fest” during Mom’s Weekend. Brick Life Entertainment shared the poster on Twitter Jan. 27. The distributed poster has no connection to the university. This poster eventually made its way to an Ohio U parent Facebook page, Ohio University Bobcat Parents, where several Ohio U moms weighed in on the social media posts.

“Is it sort of gross? Yes. But it doesn’t bother me because nobody directly approached me about it. Nobody called me out specifically. Nobody made me feel uncomfortable personally or directly,” Jen Ryan, whose 22-year-old son attends Ohio U, said in a phone interview. “It’s an advertisement for young kids to go have fun.” 

Ohio U is known as a party school, and in fact was regarded as one of the largest party schools in the country by Playboy in 2015, as reported by the Athens News. During select weekends in both March and April, different fests, each of a different name, are put on by students. The fests occur during spring semester and with Mom’s Weekend falling in the middle of it, the advertised term “Milf Fest” has sparked some conversations.

“I would NEVER attend something branded as Milf Fest. … In a time where sexual violence is increasing on campuses, I find this naming irresponsible. It’s not funny at all.” Janet Mayer, who has a 22-year-old son at Ohio U, said in a text message. 

Other mothers do not see the term as offensive or correlated to sexual violence. 

“I was a teenager in the 90s, when the term milf was coined, and it’s just another generational phrase. … I don’t believe it’s done to harm or encourage sexual assault.” Brandi Turkal, who has an 18-year-old daughter that attends Ohio U, said in a text message. 

Despite what the term “Milf Fest” may imply, Mom’s Weekend is intended to be a time for students and their parents to make memories and spend valuable time with each other.

“I want to see my kid. I want to go uptown and have a good time,” Sam Ditka, who has a 19-year-old son at Ohio U, said in a phone interview. “I like to experience OU through his eyes. I know what it was like for me to be there, and I want to see it through his eyes. (The name) would never keep me from being there.”

The term “Milf Fest” has been advertised on Fest Season posters since 2017, but the 2022 social media post specifically has a lot of moms turning their heads.

“The normalizing of it is a huge problem. Why would anyone want to refer to their mom in terms of a porn category? Why are people defending this?” Mayer said.

Other mothers see the fuss over the term as a misunderstanding of Ohio U culture. 

“I feel like a lot of the newer parents don’t understand Fest Season. And people who didn’t go to OU don’t understand the vibe of OU, which is laid back and having fun and laughing and being silly,” Cheryl Hoffman, whose 20-year-old son attends Ohio U, said. “I don’t think that it has anything to do with moms on the prowl. I truly think the name is all in fun.”

Pamela Strohmeyer, whose 19-year-old daughter attends Ohio U, brought up that the name “Milf Fest” is circulating among students and is not associated with the university. 

“I think (the topic is) somewhat being blown out of proportion only because it's students, whoever they are, that are promoting this and it's not the university itself,” Pamela Strohmeyer said in a phone interview. “I know the university is not going around calling Mom’s Weekend ‘Milf Fest.’”