Homecoming kickoff celebrations begin this weekend.
Soulfest and Talent Night are the first of nine events scheduled for UF’s Homecoming celebrations, leading up to the Homecoming game on Nov. 9 against Vanderbilt University. Both events are free and open to the public.
Soulfest, the multicultural extravaganza, will take place at 4:30 p.m. Saturday at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center to celebrate “The Blueprints of Soul” with organizational tabling, food and performances by Sabor Latino, Anomaly, the National Pan-Hellenic Council and the University Gospel Choir.
Lorena Silva, a 21-year-old UF anthropology junior and the event’s assistant director of performance, said the number of performers has increased since last year from seven or eight performers to 14 this year.
Because of the Reitz Union construction, the event will be hosted in the O’Connell Center for the first time, Silva said.
“We can’t fit 1,000 people in the grand ballroom,” she said.
Inter-Residence Hall Association president Elliot Grasso, a 20-year-old UF finance junior, said this is the first year IRHA is sponsoring a Homecoming event, Talent Night.
“As a student organization, we wanted to get more invested in Homecoming,” he said. “Our organization markets to over 8,000 students.”
Talent Night will take place at 7 p.m. Sunday at the Phillips Center for the Performing Arts and will host singers, dancers and a juggler.
Stephanie Choate, a 20-year-old UF advertising junior and the director of the event, said the show has a really good lineup this year.
“We have so many different talents that people don’t even know,” she said.
A version of this story ran on page 4 on 10/25/2013 under the headline "Homecoming celebrations begin with Soulfest, Talent Night"
