Sex will be on the minds of everyone in the Student Center Ballroom from 8:30 to 10:30 tomorrow night.

Important facts to take with you to Sextoberfest:

-There are an estimated 19 million new sexually transmitted infections each year. Almost half are reported in young people between 15 and 24.

-Chlamydia is the most commonly reported infectious disease in the United States, with 2.8 million new cases a year.

-Chlamydia can cause pelvic inflammatory disease, which causes chronic pelvic pain. It can also lead to ectopic pregnancy and infertility in women. In men, it can cause epididymitis and urethritis, which can cause pain, fever, and in rare cases, infertility.

-There were 339,593 gonorrhea cases reported in 2005.

-Gonorrhea can cause pelvic inflammatory disease, infertility — in both men and women — and ectopic pregnancy.

-From 2004-2005, the rate of syphilis increased 11.1 percent.

-Syphilis can lead to serious long-term complications, including neurologic, cardiovascular and organ damage, even death.

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Web site

The annual Sextoberfest, sponsored by Kent Interhall Council, will be held for the first time ever in the ballroom. The large space is needed to accommodate the 1,500 people KIC is expecting, said Zane Powell, sophomore marketing major and KIC director of programming.

The program’s goal is to educate residents about the dangers of unprotected sex. Instead of promoting abstinence, KIC wants to promote safe sex, Powell said.

From games to giveaways, everything at the event will be sex-related.

“There will be carnival games — with a twist,” Powell said.

Winners will receive free condoms, and Sextoberfest T-shirts will be given away through a raffle.

“It’s one of those fun things that you really don’t recognize the education behind it,” said Josh Kropko, sophomore bio-technology major and KIC vice president of leadership development.

The Sextoberfest theme this year is “Sex Under the Stars.”

“We just hope everyone comes out,” Powell said. “It will be a good time and everyone liked it in the past.”

Contact room and board reporter Julie McKinney at [email protected].