Dixie Fest isn’t happening this year.
Dixie Fest is a large-scale event featuring a different artist every year, and tickets usually range from $20-$25.
In order to better manage their budget, the Dixie State University Student Association will be experimenting with a new event instead: The Ultimate Paint Battle.
Student Body President Sarah Ramaker, a senior dance major from Midland, Michigan, said Dixie Fest is the type of event that requires a lot of preparation, work and money. She said DSUSA wanted to try out a new date that’s different from the last few years and move the event toward the end of the semester.
“We also wanted to be responsible with our budget,” Ramaker said. “We felt in order to be responsible and fair to students, we would reduce the budget for an end of semester event and see how the new date works.”
Last year’s Dixie Fest featured artist Kid Ink, and tickets were available for $25 at the door. The Ultimate Paint Battle will be free for students.
The event, set to take place April 28 from 9 p.m. to midnight at the lower encampment mall, will feature a paint fight and dance concert, said Cajun Syrett, vice president of student life and a senior integrated studies major from Bryce Canyon City.
DSUSA is working with Uprising Events to supply paint and other entertainment for students.
Syrett said DSUSA is paying a lot less for this event than what they would pay for Dixie Fest.
“Things we are saving money on includes paying the artist and paying the middling agent to help us book the artist,” Syrett said. “These two things alone can get very costly depending on who we sign.”
Syrett said because of the contract they have with Uprising Events, DSUSA can’t disclose the amount they are paying for this event. He said luckily DSUSA was able to secure sponsorships so most of the cost will be payed for.
Scott Beckstrom, a junior finance major from San Diego, attended last year’s Dixie Fest and said he was looking forward to another concert.
“I’m kind of sad that there isn’t going to be one,” Beckstrom said. “I think this replacement won’t really compare to Dixie Fest. I think [DSUSA] is going to make it fun as possible. I believe it’s going to be fun, but not as fun as an actual concert.”
Even though Dixie Fest isn’t happening this year, DSUSA has no plans on discarding Dixie Fest in the future.
“We know that concerts have a different atmosphere, and we want our students to be able to experience that,” Syrett said. “So there are no plans on replacing Dixie Fest as far as concerts go. We just might change the date from a kick-off to spring break to a kick-off to summer.”
