College Walk finds itself abuzz with excitement this afternoon, playing host to an array of colorful happenings. Spring is here to stay, much to the delight of protesters and peddlers.

First, as the beat of a conga drum wafts through the air, one finds the ubiquitous trinketry, cheap spring scarfs, and ethnic food of a street fair. Feeling a little green? Make your way to the base of the Steps and celebrate Earth Day by picking up a few fluorescent light bulbs courtesy of the Earth Institute and Columbia's Sustainability Working Group, but remember to trade in your incandescent bulbs first. Hear a gong in the distance? That's the Iraq War protest group counting five years of conflict by striking a chime for every person killed. They're on day two now, and Bwog just received word that a counter-protest may be in the works!

See all those American flags on clotheslines? Courtesy of the College Democrats, it's a flag washing extravaganza to "wash away the negative image associated with the American flag" and restore the flag as an "international symbol of freedom and justice." College Walk and Low steps are very much alive today, and Bwog looks forward to many more hours spent idling on the urban beach.

More photos of the sunshine festivities after the jump!

Unless you've been closeted in the stacks all day, you probably heard the shindig out on the Plaza, which will raise lots and lots of money ($64,445 and counting) to benefit the American Cancer Society. It's also rather entertaining for passersby, with various field-day type activities filling every corner of the quad. More pictures after the jump.

Could they be paying attention? Could they care? Passersby Low plaza at 2:30 today--the first annual Campus Sustainibility Day--pondered that very question as leafy-brown suited PrezBo and right hand man Robert Kasdin spoke, unmiked, about how important environmental stewardship is to Columbia. For the cliffnotes, check your inbox for the e-mail statement he sent out this morning (or click after the jump).

Enviro-kids presented PrezBo with one of their spiffy green T-shirts, inducting him as an honorary Eco-Rep while Nilda Mesa, Columbia's new Environmental Stewardship Coordinator (and accomplished knitter!), looked on through her superhero red glasses. Pressure's on, Lee!

Kasdin had the last word: "I've been asked to close this solemn ceremony by reminding people that they can buy tote bags to my right, and that they can get chocolate in JJs, wherever that is, tonight."

Your decision on whether or not to stick around for the Concert on the Steps tomorrow just got a little easier--our sources say that the event will be headlined by The Hold Steady, a Brooklyn-based band whose members hail from Minnesota. And rock the geek chic. Openers will be leaked as information becomes available.

Curious about the flock of kids gathered on Low Steps right now? Bwog inquired: it's a group of seventh graders from Houston, TX touring the East Coast. They hit Philadelphia on the way here, and then will make their way up to Boston.

Be nice! Welcome our Southern brethren!

Apparently, Columbia thinks that we're getting a little fat. The ice cream case in Uris Deli, stocked full of neatly-stacked, attractive-looking Häagen-Dazs, Nestle Crunch and various other tempting frozen novelties that are begging to be eaten, is locked. Because we didn't really need it anyway.

In other food news, Bwog overheard someone in the burger line on Low Plaza say that the free food, sponsored by the Engineering Student Council, was offered in conjunction with an event called... you guessed it... "SEAS the Day." And you thought engineers couldn't come up with good puns.

No, you didn't fall asleep last night and sleep for a week, they just decided to celebrate Cinco de Mayo early. The Low steps are as multicultural as it gets this time of year--the Armenians, Hawaiians, Japanese, and more ethnic groups Bwog is too hungover from last night's post-Varsity-Show partying to remember have laid claim to the space in recent weeks. Do the evangelicals count?

At least this time there's a real live taco truck on College walk. Please, if you're going to get sick from food poisoning, head to the park first.

If you have walked near the stairs that lead from College Walk to Kent Hall today, you might be asking yourself the following question: why is the water in the east fountain of Low Plaza bubbling with white foam and making weird sizzling noises? We were wondering the same thing.

An anonymous Bwog tipster who was sitting near the fountain today at the time of the incident reports the following scene:

Slightly before noon, a college-aged male, wearing a Columbia sweatshirt, athletic pants, and carrying a duffel bag walked to the south side of the fountain and sat down on its edge. After taking a few nervous glances around, he placed the duffel bag at his side, hunched over in order to hide it from potential onlookers, opened the bag and emptied its contents into the water. While the specific contents are unknown, the bag appeared to be filled with a large quantity of white powder, possibly laundry detergent, which caused the foaming reaction in the water. After a moment, the male used his hands to scoop the remainder of the powder into the fountain before closing the bag and casually walking away. He did not look back.

Theories, anyone?

UPDATE 3:12 pm: More pictures after the jump.

This ain't just no two-bit background filming—the production crew of The Nanny Diaries is pulling out the big guns for all us College Walker-stalkers. Johansson can be seen filming a scene with an as-of-yet unidentified male (possibly co-star Chris Evans, of The Fantastic Four fame) near the west fountain on Low Plaza RIGHT NOW.

The whole production area is roped off, and imposing looking members of the film's security team are very rudely keeping onlookers from getting too close to the action. Bwog was yelled at by said men, who even went so far as to scream at us in a threatening voice and call us "dude." Even the campus security that is patrolling the area is not sympathetic to the plight of the camera-wielding student journalist. Before we were pressured into leaving, however, Bwog managed to snap a few money-shots. Anything for our loyal readers.

If the editors of any celebrity-based publication are interested in acquiring said photos (ka-ching!), we kindly ask that you email bwgossip@columbia.edu.

BONUS: Overheard on the set: "She looks pregnant." Bwog refuses to comment.

Members of the cast of KCST's Richard III are currently stage-duking-it-out (with spears!) in front of Low Library in promotion of this weekend's show (see event listings). Tourists and prospective parents look confused as they reconsider sending their children to an institution that encourages such public displays of violence. Viggo Mortensen looks gratified as he reconsiders sending his child anywhere else.

One singer + one keyboard player + one flutist + one moderately creepy man milling about = Christian music awesomeness.

Low Plaza. Right now. Bwog is not sure how long this will last, so act fast.