By: Erica Lampert ~Staff Writer~ 

Xavier is hosting its fifth annual XavierFest for the student body on April 29, and it is rumored that this year will be the best yet.

XavierFest originated as a new idea to help boost attendance to the Student Activities Council (SAC) events that the previous Cintas Concerts lacked. SAC did not want to completely get rid of the concert for students, but they wanted to stop wasting students’ money on something with low attendance. XavierFest wasnt meant to replace these concerts, however due to its success, SAC has allowed XavierFest to replace the Cintas Concerts for good.

“XavierFest has now replaced the Cintas Concert Series, and our attendance is greater than it had ever been at any Cintas Concert held in the past,” Chair of SAC’s University Spirit Committee Zeina Farhat said. “Last year, we had 2,400 students attend XavierFest, making it the most student-attended event on campus—including basketball games.”

SAC started this emerging artist festival to see whether or not Xavier students would enjoy the experience of an outdoor concert. The event started off with student bands, and has continued to grow each year in the popularity of the main act. In the past, SAC has had several headliners such as Well Reds, Tyler Hilton and Smallpools. This year, SAC has collaborated with the Student Government Association (SGA) to have the Canadian reggae fusion band Magic! play at XavierFest. Magic! is most well known for their debut single, “Rude”, which peaked at number one in several countries, including the U.S.

“We call it an emerging artist festival because the line-up consists of artists who we perceive as on the rise in the music industry. The openers and the headliner have huge potential musically to break through,” Farhat said. “Since pretty much every student at Xavier has heard the song ‘Rude’ we thought Magic! would be a great emerging band to bring in that was in our price range.”

SAC and SGA were also able to bring in Lauren Eid, DNK and My Body Sings Electric for this year’s acts. The Filharmonics will also be an opening act and may be recognized by students for their appearance in the movie “Pitch Perfect 2.”

“XavierFest is intended to introduce Xavier’s campus to new artists of different genres” Farhat said. “We have had a history of artists who SAC has brought to Xavier’s campus, including WALK THE MOON, Ben Rector and The Hunts (now touring with O.A.R) who have become pretty big names in the industry today,”

This year’s vendors will include Skyline Chili, Coca-Cola(Monster), Delicio Coal Fired Pizza, The Pop Shop, United Dairy Farmers, Empanadas Aqui, C’est Cheese Food Truck, Harvest Mobile Cuisine, Hungry Bros Food Truck and Kaimelsky’s Hot Dog Truck.

“There’s going to be 10 different food trucks for the students to experience and they’re all going to be really good,” Farhat said. “We even have some returning venders coming back this year as well.”

As always there will also be free merchandise for Xavier students to enjoy such as free T-shirts, cups, frisbees and other small items.

All students are expected to have their All Cards handy this year as only Xavier students are allowed to attend the festival and enjoy the free food. SAC encourages all students to come and make this year the largest attendance at XavierFest ever.

XavierFest will take place on the Greenspace on April 29th beginning at 4 P.M. Magic! is scheduled to perform at 8.