Nearly 200 local vendors, six music acts and about 60 campus and student organizations are coming to Manchester Field Friday for the 30th annual Black Squirrel Festival.

Jennifer Gunnoe, marketing coordinator for Kent Student Center Programming, said the Black Squirrel Festival is an excellent opportunity for students who missed out on information about Kent’s student organizations during the back to school Blastoff event.

“Blastoff was only two hours,” Gunnoe said. “This is all day and gives students the opportunity to peruse more of the tables.”

The festival is from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Gunnoe said many organizations may randomly give away items at their tables in addition to the ones students can choose to buy.

“I’ll probably check it out,” sophomore fashion design major Shametra Rozzel said. “I love looking at all the merchandise and stuff; I’m bound to get a

T-shirt or something.”

Gunnoe said students could be randomly selected to win prizes throughout the day just by showing up to the right table at the right time.

Local vendors also look for interesting ways to demonstrate their products. Gunnoe said Kent-based salon A Cut Above plans to bring a hydraulic salon chair to do free styling, trims and product testing.

The night will conclude at 11 p.m with the Real Late Reels showing of “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.” The movie will be projected drive-in-movie-style on Manchester field, weather permitting.

If it rains during the day, the festival will move indoors to the ballroom on the second floor of the Student Center, and the movie will still be shown, but it will be in the Kiva.

“The festival will go on rain or shine,” Gunnoe said.

Contact Brittany Hill at [email protected].