25th Black Squirrel Fest ‘rocked’

Lisa Hlavinka

With so many people attending Friday’s Black Squirrel Festival, it only took about an hour for the Kent Student Center Programming Board to sell out of T-shirts, event supervisor Rachael Shansky said.

The festival, which was held in Risman Plaza, celebrated its 25th anniversary with games, vendors and local music. Vendors included student organizations, retail establishments and off-campus clubs.

“There’s tons of freshman coming here, and there’s tons of people, so it’s a good way to get everyone around and get promotions out,” Shansky said.

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Jack Stewart, president of the Ohio Gamers Organization, said he sets up at the festival every year because this is how he gets student members involved.

“I hire a lot of college kids to work for the organization,” he said.

The festival also gave local musicians a chance to strut their stuff for a large audience.

“It rocked,” said Fionna Faulk, a folk guitarist and singer who performed at the festival. “I think everyone was pretty supportive; they definitely dug it.”

Members of the crowd weren’t the only people digging the festival’s music.

“I think (the bands) are fabulous,” said Ally Oulton, who was working the PRIDE!Kent stand. “I was here all day, and I loved the bands.”

Contact on-campus entertainment reporter Lisa Hlavinka at [email protected]