Imagine sitting in your dorm room at 4 p.m. on a Tuesday, and suddenly you can hear music blasting. No, it’s not your suite mates again, and the people down the hall are silent for once.
The music is coming from The Quad, drawing students like flies to honey.
The Content Creation Club is putting on a music festival called Webfest, with food from High-Pointe Drive-In, Lulu’s shaved ice and yard games. The event will last from 4 to 9 p.m. featuring 10 different acts with genres ranging from pop to rap to rock.
Nicholas Thomas, a senior marketing student, started the club in May 2022. Thomas was at Webster during the pandemic and described student engagement as a “ghost town.” Even after the pandemic was over, Thomas noticed student life wasn’t the same. He wanted to create an event to boost student engagement and bring the campus together.
“We have students from all different sides of the university coming together to make this happen,” Thomas said. “As long as we can help make memories and create an impact here at Webster, that means the world to me. Giving students experiences that will last a lifetime and bring more to the school that gave so much to me.”
The Content Creation Club’s main goal is to boost student engagement on campus. To build its reputation and recognition, the club has held multiple events around campus, including a culinary cookoff and volleyball tournament.
“What is Webster about?” Thomas asked. “The student life.”
The idea for Webfest came about two years ago, however there were some roadblocks. The event gained serious traction, but administration urged them to start small and get bigger to ensure all the proper steps were taken. Now, after further preparation, partnering with the ping pong club and funding from Student Government Association (SGA), the event is in full swing.
The Content Creation Club is working with the Ping Pong Club for the event, there will be ping pong tables set up, as well as corn hole and other yard games.
St. Louis folk rock band Native State, whose three band members have played together for five years, is playing a few of their favorite songs during the concert.
“It brings people together,” band member Logan Cozart said. “That’s why music is something that I think is just awesome. Everybody comes out and has a good time.”
Alongside Native State, there are performers coming from all genres of music, including musician Caleb Creo, who is making his debut on the Webfest stage.
Creo has been making his own music in his bedroom for over six years. But he has never performed live for an audience before. He plans to release his first song on Friday April 19 and play some of his own creations live for the first time during the event.
“The best music comes locally, organically,” Creo said. “As someone who has always loved music and creating music, this event gives artists an opportunity to showcase their music.”
While students enjoy the music, food and games at the event, there is a lot going on behind the scenes.
Isabella Garrett is the vice chair of the Audio Engineering Society (AES), and will be running the sound board.
Andrew Jolly is also a member of AES, and is helping manage the event. He has worked with festival management in the past, and will help ensure everything runs smoothly. He aided in the preparation with sound equipment and helped set up different performers.
“I think Webster needs more stuff like this because the students are very passionate about things like this,” Jolly said. “I think that the more that we work together, the more we can make this campus feel fun again.”
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