Update: This story was updated at 2:02 p.m. to reflect that only students with a valid Rowan ID will receive a food voucher at the event.

The inaugural Hollybash, a combination of a carnival and music festival, will make its appearance on Friday on the Hollybush Green.

“Hollybash is going to be the unexpected,” said Michele Applegate, the graduate coordinator for the Office of Student Activities (OSA). She is studying for her masters in higher education administration. “It’s a brand new event that Rowan’s never seen before. Because it’s such a new event and it has a little bit of everything, any person that comes will enjoy themselves.”

The idea for Hollybash stemmed from Profstock, a music festival Rowan held in years past. The number in attendance at Profstock had been decreasing significantly over the last several years, leading to the event’s cancellation during the fall of this year. This spurred Carly Samuels, a senior business management and entrepreneurship major, to think of the idea for Hollybash, which unlike before, would be open to any person with a Rowan ID, including students and staff.

“We had ideas to take the musical element but switch up our venue,” Samuels said. “We wanted to create an experience, not just a concert. So we thought of a different venue that we had never programmed in before and decided on Hollybush. We then started picking vendors and performers and ended up with a festival.”

Hollybash, run by OSA, will have multiple events and activities, such as a ferris wheel, zip line, henna and body tie-dye activites, and live acts throughout the day. A concert, the event’s main attraction, will begin at 6:30 p.m. with performances by Battle of the Bands winner, Steve Tedman, cover band Go Go Gadjet and featured artist American Authors, best known for their song “Best Day of My Life.”

The event will also include various food trucks, which will be available to attendees. Students with a valid Rowan ID will receive a $10 food voucher.

“Food trucks are always a win,” said Trish Marino, a senior marketing and management major. “It’s going to be epic.” 

Sam Josephs, a sophomore mechanical engineering major, is excited for the change Hollybash will bring to the campus.

“I’m looking forward to the atmosphere,” Josephs said. “It’s a lot different than what we had for Profstock. There’s going to be so much going on and a cool place on campus. It’s such a cool event with a bunch to do so I think the atmosphere’s going to be really positive and fun.”

Hollybash will run from 1:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on Friday, April 29. Admission is free with a Rowan ID.

– Featured image: Flier for the Hollybash festival slated to start April 29 at 1 p.m. This inaugural event will feature food trucks, carnival rides and live music featuring American authors among other artists. -Photo Courtesy of Rowan Office of Student Activities. 

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