OzFest 2018 at SUNY Oswego to feature daylong activities, evening concert

SUNY Oswego will wrap up its spring semester with 2018 OzFest on Friday, May 4, with daylong free activities for students and an evening concert featuring H.E.R. and A$AP Ferg.

Afternoon activities, which start at 1 p.m. on the south lawn outside Marano Campus Center, include live bands such as Jordy Searcy, Black Tie Stereo and The Crane Wives. Carnival rides, games and attractions such as bungee bounce, toxic crush, toxic drop and wrecking ball will invite students to race, ride or admire from afar. Stations such as Stuff-A-Buddy and custom license plate making will allow students to make keepsakes.

“What's different this year than past years is we are going to have live bands perform during the carnival portion of OzFest,” said Genesis Felipe Rossi, concert coordinator for the Student Activities Programming Board and co-chair of the OzFest Planning Committee.

“I'm most excited about me being able to bring new rides on campus,” said Ryan Rodriguez, special events coordinator for SAPB.

Rodriguez and others working on the event had the opportunity to attend a National Association of Student Activities conference last semester to decide on performers.

“The planning process is a year-long thing. You come up with a vision in September and make that happen in May,” said Rodriguez.

SAPB puts OzFest together each spring with the help of a number of on-campus organizations. It is a process to plan the day’s activities, but organizers said locking in performers is often the most challenging part.

This year’s OzFest will be the first to have a solo female artist as a headliner. H.E.R. is a 20-year-old contemporary and alternative R&B American singer/songwriter known for popular songs such as “Focus,” “Say It Again” and “2.” Her debut EP, “H.E.R. Volume 1,” made iTunes’ list of best R&B/soul albums in 2016, with “Losing” makes iTunes’ best singles list.

A$AP Ferg is a 29 -year-old American rapper known for his hit songs “Plain Jane,” “Shabba” and “New Level.” The winner of the BET Hip Hop Rookie of the Year Award in 2013, A$AP Ferg has Billboard top-10 albums “Always Strive and Prosper” and “Trap Lord,” plus a hit mixtape, “Still Striving.”

Doors open to the Marano Campus Center arena for the performance of H.E.R. and A$AP Ferg at 6:30 p.m.

Tickets for the concert are available at all SUNY Oswego box offices, online at tickets.oswego.edu or by calling 315-312-2141. The pre-concert student price is $15 (for the first ticket), the general public price is $20, and tickets at the door will cost $25.

“All in all I'm hoping people just enjoy themselves and have a great time,” said Felipe Rossi. She has been a part of SAPB since freshman year and continued her involvement because she said she “wanted to continue planning events and making memories for students on campus.”

“By being involved you have the power to change someone's perception of the school with one program or event,” said Rodriguez.