Still looking for the perfect ensemble to wear to this year’s FEST concerts?

Look no further. DePaul Activities Board (DAB) has planned the perfect event to solve any student’s FEST wardrobe crisis: “Dressed for FEST,” Thursday, May 9.

Even though “Dressed for FEST” is not a new event to this year, it is a very recent addition to the FESTivities. The idea for the event came to fruition last year when former FEST Coordinator Liz Palomo and her committee set out to find more ways to engage students and increase the hype surrounding the already popular FEST concerts. At the event, students would have the opportunity to tie-dye t-shirts to wear to the FEST concerts, listen to music provided by  student DJ Cooper Thomas and take a break from classes and studies. They felt that “Dressed for FEST” would be the perfect way for students to become more involved with FEST, as well as provide them with the chance to take some time away from their books and spend time with friends.

Because it was a new event last year, DAB had no way to anticipate how many students would attend. The day of the event, however, produced an overwhelming response from students. As the line of attendee-hopefuls grew to extend from Belden to Fullerton, DAB and the FEST Committee quickly realized that they were not prepared for a crowd of so great a size. Faced with such a large attendance, their t-shirt and tie-dye supply disappeared far more quickly than they had planned.

“The biggest disappointment was that we had to turn some people away,”  said, Joe Kosin, current FEST coordinator.

However, while not all attendees of “Dressed for FEST” scored a coveted FEST t-shirt, the original goal of the event was still accomplished. Hundreds of students sported the t-shirts at the FEST concerts, proving that the event had helped to heighten the anticipation and excitement surrounding FEST.

Even though he was in the midst of the chaotic nature of “Dressed” last year, Kosin agreed that the event did what they had hoped it would.

“I would call it a success,” said Kosin.

Using last year as a learning experience, Kosin and his FEST Committee have made the proper preparations for another massive turnout. From moving the event to the Quad to accommodate a larger crowd, to ordering 1000 t-shirts-a 500% increase from last year, DAB is more than ready for an even greater attendance than the year before. The tie-dye stations and music will still be there, as well as many of FEST’s student organization sponsors.

While Kosin and his committee hope that this year’s event will be an even greater success than the last, they want to make sure that everyone who comes out for Dressed has the best experience possible and doesn’t leave without a t-shirt in hand.

“We don’t want people to wait in line and then not get the right size,” said Kosin.

Overall, DAB and the FEST Committee are looking forward to an event that will kick-off FEST the right way as well as its surrounding activities. It takes place the day after the “Big Reveal” of the FEST headlining performer, and the following Monday, May 13, ticket sales will be underway. Two weeks after that, the FEST stage will find its home on the Quad, and hundreds of DePaul students will attend the most-anticipated campus event of the year.

Twenty-six days, DePaul, until FEST arrives. Get excited. Get ready. Get “Dressed for FEST.”