NMU’s PrimeTime Productions will host Yooper Bingo tonight at 8 p.m. in Jamrich 1100. The event is free to all students, is Yooper-themed and will include a costume contest and prizes for the winners.

PrimeTime Productions, a housing and residence life-sponsored student organization, hosts events like this every month. According to Amber Essenmacher, the organization’s vice president, these events have ranged from comedians and hypnotists to silent discos. 

“We always do our events at 8 p.m. on a Friday to give our students an option to do something other than go out and party,” Essenmacher said. 

The organization recently decided to theme all events, but dressing up isn’t required. Their Wild-West-themed bingo night, which they hosted in September, had a considerable student turnout. 

“It was super fun–all of Jamrich 1100 was filled, and we were basically out of boards to play,” Essenmacher said.

Essenmacher recommends that students arrive early to Yooper Bingo, or else they are not guaranteed to play. There are already 40 students registered to attend the event on NMU’s campus engagement platform, The Hub. Some of those students will be walking away with prizes supplied by PrimeTime Productions. 

“We’ve purchased $1500 worth of prizes,” Essenmacher said. “It’s typically stuff that we think students would need or enjoy, anything from laundry baskets and detergent to an iPad.”

The organization will meet after Friday’s event to determine what to plan for February. PrimeTime Productions meets every Friday at 4 p.m., is open to all students, and encourages students to give input and get involved. 

“Most of our membership right now is Resident Advisors and Community Advisors so it’d be really nice to see some student involvement because it’s free and we put on some really cool events,” Essenmacher said.

PrimeTime productions has a few other events planned for the rest of the semester, including a few fan favorites.

“We talked about doing another silent disco this year,” Essenmacher said. “We had two last year and the first one was huge success and people really loved it.”

Essenmacher joined PrimeTime Productions last year after attending one of the silent discos.

“I had so much fun that I was like ‘I want to be a part of this really fun thing’ and then I got roped in and never stopped going,” Essenmacher said.

Although members of the organization are in charge of planning and preparing for these events, it’s also a way for them have fun. 

“It’s nice to be both a facilitator and a student enjoying the things that are happening on campus,” Essenmacher said. “We don’t have to do a ton of stuff on the night of, so we just show up and have a good time just like everybody else.”

Essenmacher has never won bingo, and is hoping that today is her lucky day.