MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Another FallFest is in the books as another school year begins.
The annual welcome back event held by West Virginia University brought in students early as Mountaineers young and old wrapped up Welcome Week.
“Lots of people are out today, it’s been very nice,” said WVU Junior Lexie Wyandt, a native of Canton, Ohio. “Excited for the free food, excited for Lil Yachty.”
Even with shaky weather throughout the day of FallFest, students quickly convened on the Evansdale Rec Fields by the time the musical acts began at 5 p.m. MisterWives were the first to perform, followed by Brothers Osborne, and then headlined by Lil Yachty.
As hundreds of students soon became thousands entering into Fallfest, it seem to go without a hitch as entrance lines were relatively short.
Sophomore Max Hughes of Parkersburg, WV, praised the wait times this year.
“Last year, I probably waited about two hours outside, but about two minutes this time,” he said.
Also returning to the Evansdale campus was FoodFest, a separate area for local vendors such as Peppebroni’s and Pyles of Pasta to offer students either a refresher or introduction to what is available around Morgantown. For freshmen like Jenna Snider of Kingwood, WV, it was a week where a lot was happening, especially for incoming Mountaineers.
“It’s mostly just been walking around and finding where to go for our academic session, and then some of the classrooms, then FallFest, stuff like that,” said Snider.
As some students were enjoying the festivities with a different mindset, or soaking it all in for the first time, some students are attending FallFest for the last time before graduating in the coming spring.
With their college careers coming to a close, a lot of emotions and feelings come to mind. For Senior Brooke Ruth of Calvert County, Maryland, she’s appreciative for being a part of WVU and the people around it.
“You get to enjoy a lot more stuff that the University gives you, like FallFest,” she said. “A lot of schools don’t have this. I’m super grateful. Even if the artists aren’t as great as you want them to be, it’s a great social event, free food, stuff like that. I’m blessed.”