Number Fest fans’ anticipation continues to mount as Saturday creeps closer, when a sea of people will celebrate the coming of nationally touring artists Kendrick Lamar and Steve Aoki at the 11th edition of the event.
Dominic Petrozzi, founder of Number Fest, said the fest could bring in record crowds due in part to large amounts of tickets sold online and at campus ticket vendor points.
The festival will open its doors at 1 p.m., with parking opening around noon, for spectators to begin enjoying the music from acts including Lamar, Aoki, Bad Rabbits and 5 & A Dime.
The event will have shuttle buses located across from Ping Center and across from Yianni’s Carry Out on North Court Street that will take fest goers to and from campus starting at about noon in an effort to discourage drunken driving.
“It is always the same for me,” Petrozzi said about his expectations for the fest. “We want to stress that everybody gets in safe and sound … and with the entertainment that is coming out, we just want to give the opportunity to close out the school year on a high note.”
The fest will also include Ohio band Forest & the Evergreens, West Virginian Huey Mack and Ohio University student Logan “DJ LoCo” Cassidy.
Cassidy, a sophomore studying marketing, said the opportunity to play Number Fest was something he had been eager to do since attending 8Fest while on a visit with his older sister.
“This is like a dream come true,” Cassidy said. “I said, ‘I want to be on that stage’ … I have worked at it ever since then … and this year came around and I got the invitation through email. It is literally a dream come true to be on that stage.”
Parker Muntz, vocalist and guitarist for Columbus’ “young funk” band Forest & the Evergreens, said the fest is an event the band had wanted to play since hearing about it last year through friends.
“It is exciting,” Muntz said. “In the past we had played a lot of shows (that) were a pretty eclectic mix of music … and we know that people will be ready to dance.We’ll come with the funk, and we will spread the love to the crowd.” Petrozzi said that is exactly what he hopes to see coming out of the festival.
“We stress to have the time of your life,” Petrozzi said. “But, do it responsibly.”
ds834910@ohiou.edu
