Thiel bringing music festival to Greenville
Apr. 16—GREENVILLE — Despite its name, the first "Party on College Ave" will actually be held in Riverside Park — bringing visitors two nights of live musical entertainment and other activities.
The free event is presented by NHL Entertainment and TCTV, or Thiel College Television, and will be held Friday and Saturday at 45 Alan Ave., Greenville, in the amphitheater at Riverside Park.
Friday's festivities will begin at 5 p.m., with the Greenville High School Steel Drum Band and Austin and the Powers, said Samantha DiBucci, a Thiel College alumna and one of the event's organizers.
The GHS Steel Drum Band is already familiar with local audiences, while Austin and the Powers has gone viral on social media. Both bands will be family-friendly, DiBucci said.
"They're a band from Pennsylvania that has more of an indie, beach vibe — they're very good," DiBucci said of Austin and the Powers.
A king and queen crowning ceremony will be featured in-between performances Friday, DiBucci said.
Saturday's musical lineup, also beginning at 5 p.m., will be more adult-oriented and exclusively feature rap artists, including Dumper Nae, iHateUno, and the main event, mezzonmars!
"All of these artists are local, so they're either from Pennsylvania or Ohio," DiBucci said.
Along with the rap music slate, Saturday will offer multiple pop-up shops including Visions Attire, Too Turnt Up and Blank Clothing Association, according to the event flyer.
As with the musicians, the pop-up shops are all local artisans, DiBucci said.
"Everything's very hand-made," she said of the business' products.
Games will be offered during the festival, including cornhole, while a food truck is expected. If it rains, the festival will be moved to the Passavant Center at Thiel College.
Having graduated from Thiel last spring, DiBucci said the college previously had a band or two perform for the students before starting finals.
This year, the event's organizers decided to expand the occasion into a two-day festival, giving local musicians some exposure while providing an opportunity for Thiel College's students and staff to connect with the community.
The event is also going to feature coverage by students with TCTV, who will eventually upload their footage to YouTube. Photography students will also take photos for the TCTV Studios' Instagram page.
"The biggest thing is that this event is free, so people from the community and the college can support these musicians, meet new people and play some games," DiBucci said. "It's going to be a fun time for everyone."
Like David L. Dye on Facebook or email him at ddye@sharonherald.com.
