By Nicarlyle Hanchard / The Jambar
This year’s Homecoming festivities will begin with the 12th staging of Youngstown State University’s Fall Fire Fest from 6:30-9:30 p.m. on Oct. 25.
The event features a location change to the Daniel H. Becker Family Fountain Commons from its previous location at the M71 parking lot.
Brynn Brunton, event lead of Penguin Productions, said the change in location was influenced by other changes around campus.
“There’s a lot of changes going on with campus, with Kilcawley [Center] under construction and different aspects of YSU changing, so we thought this was a perfect time,” Brunton said.
She said it was a team decision and hopes the centered location of the fountain will be more inviting.
“Bringing it closer to campus, not saying that the parking lot was far, but now it’s more centered and just a good time for change,” Brunton said. “We hope that people who are walking from [Campus Lofts] or any apartments around, or the people in the dorms walking around on campus, they’ll see what’s going on also and come check it out.”
Attendees who are used to a bonfire-style event will notice the lack of a firepit at this year’s Fall Fire Fest. Brunton said there are viable alternatives to provide a similar feeling.
“The center of campus, there is nowhere to put a fire, so we’ll have five to six fire towers, so the aspect of fire is still there, just not the bonfire style,” Brunton said.
However, the inclusion of live performances remains the same. This year, Brunton said the bands Negative Zen and Nineteenth Paradise, who have collaborated with Penguin Productions before, will provide music for the night.
Brunton said several of the evening’s activities will be facilitated by various student organizations.
“We have lots of activities [planned], majority of them are free — we have a lot of student [organizations] come and plan activities,” Brunton said. “Then the vendors will be catering to more student products, like things for your dorms and things students would like to buy.”
Some of the activities at this year’s staging include fencing, a s’mores station and build-a-penguin, among others.
Dominic Pappagallo, freshman engineering major and pep rally coordinator for this year’s Fall Fire Fest, said his role is a combination of personal interests and an attempt to serve the YSU community.
“I like concerts. I’ve been to Federal Frenzy the past two years, since my brother was here, and it’s been really cool to see how all their work, and each part of the team comes together to form a big event,” Pappagallo said. “It seems like a lot of fun and just seems like another way I can get involved on campus.”
The evening’s events will culminate with a pep rally featuring various speakers and appearances by student-athletes and Homecoming court. YSU Marching Pride will also perform.