The Office of Student Involvement emailed FEST ticket-holders at roughly 6:20 p.m. today to announce the cancellation of the university’s yearly spring concert, FEST.
“Given the current campus environment, FEST 2024 cannot proceed as planned,” the email read.
The decision follows the university’s May 11 announcement of reaching a stalemate in negotiations with the encampment organizers, who are currently camped on the Quad where the annual concert typically takes place.
The email said all student and guest tickets will be refunded. Additionally, OSI plans on hosting other activities the evening of May 17 in the Lincoln Park Student Center to make up for the loss.
“More details will be shared about this experience on the OSI and DAB social media accounts in the coming days,” the email read.
This cancellation is the first since 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
DePaul is not the only university canceling key events amid the recent wave of encampments nationwide. Last week, Columbia University canceled its main graduation ceremony due to “security concerns.” Similarly, the University of Southern California also called off its main-stage ceremony following the cancellation of a valedictorian speech by a Muslim student who reported being silenced by anti-Palestinian sentiments.
The email concluded by acknowledging the graduating class of 2024 whose high school graduations and first year of college were disrupted by the pandemic. With the cancellation of FEST impacting that same graduating class, OSI said their goal is to “honor these students’ wishes however we can.”
Related Stories:
- BREAKING: DePaul Divestment Coalition holds a press conference in response to ’stalemate’ called by administration
- BREAKING: University calls stalemate on negotiations with encampment organizers
- ‘We plan to stay here’: Pro-Palestinian demonstrators firm in demands for divestment from Israel; encampment continues on DePaul Quad
