A Kent State University tradition for 35 years, the annual Black Squirrel Festival will take place Friday, Sept. 9, from 12-5 p.m. on the Student Green and Risman Plaza. The Black Squirrel Festival, which is hosted by Kent Student Center Programming, attracts more than 3,000 students, faculty and staff, as well as members of the Kent community.
The Black Squirrel Festival offers students a chance to learn about student organizations, explore different university departments and learn more about the Kent community. Local vendors will have everything from coupons to clothing and jewelry and of course more free stuff. Many of the more than 400 student organizations will be set up at the event to recruit new members and encourage students to get involved.
The first 2,500 people to the event will receive a Black Squirrel Festival T-shirt.
This is the event of the year in terms of free stuff. In addition to the T-shirts, Kent Student Center Programming will be giving away sunglasses, Frisbees, stadium cups and keychains. Plus, many of the student organizations and vendors offer freebies for stopping by their table.
The Kent State food truck, Fork in the Road, will be serving up some festival favorites. Dining plans are valid at the food truck. Black Squirrel Radio also will spin music favorites throughout the event.
Manny Jackson, student manager for Kent Student Center Programming, said the Black Squirrel Festival is going to be a must-attend event this year since students missed out on the opportunity to meet with student organizations at Blastoff.
“Blastoff is usually a student’s first chance to learn about getting involved on campus,” Jackson said. “With the weather putting a damper on Blastoff, the Black Squirrel Festival is going to be the biggest it’s ever been!”
Kent Student Center Programming’s popular late night movie program, Real Late Reels, will be showing Disney’s “Finding Dory” at 9 p.m. The movie will be projected drive-in-movie-style on the Student Green.
Watch the trailer
If it rains during the day, the festival will move indoors to the ballroom on the second floor of the Kent Student Center, and the movie will be shown at 9 p.m. in the Kent Student Center Kiva.
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