A recap of MacEwan’s hottest student event

I’m just going to be honest off the jump. If you didn’t attend this year’s Fall Fest, you genuinely missed out, and I hope you feel bad about it. 

Jokes aside, I have never seen so many MacEwan students — especially shy first years jumping up and down with such vigor and a zest for life. The sun was blazing, the food trucks were the bomb, and the vibes were just right. 

If you don’t know — and have clearly been living under a rock — SAMU’s Fall Fest is one of the largest and most advertised university events of the school year. Each year brings a new kickass lineup of talented musicians to keep the crowd pumped. Live music, beer, food, you name it  — it’s where all the cool kids go for one last “hoorah” before classes start. 

For those of you who absolutely LACKED by missing it, I’ll do you a solid by giving you a little recap of what happened. 

I anticipated a pretty good show and an even better social atmosphere than last year when Tai Verdes’ performance had everybody and their mom squished all the way to the front of the stage, dancing the night away.  

Let’s just say Fall Fest 2023 exceeded my expectations.

The day started with euphoric tunes provided by DACEY, a Vancouver-based band whose sound is influenced by neo-soul, alternative R&B, and indie. Those five cuties rocked the stage, warming us up for the rest of the evening. 

The Ottawa-born singer Jamie Fine  — who, I can confirm, is very fine — was up next. Her powerful falsettos and lively stage presence evoked a sense of peace over the crowd; heads were bopping along to her hit single Ain’t Easy. I caught her guitar pick that she threw into the crowd (more like it hit me in the head), and with that one instance, I’d like to think my career has officially reached its peak.  

After Fine’s performance, I felt the space buzzing with anticipation for who was coming out next. Armani White — known for his TikTok famous song Billie Eilish — amused the crowd with his high energy, impressive dance moves, and his guest performers Jah the DJ and Chris Dayz. 

“The performance was a 10/10 and the crowd was amazing,” says Dayz, “It was great; you guys are really awesome.”

To fill the time between performances, countless booths were set up with games and contests for a chance to win some prizes. For your munching pleasure, there was grub from tacos to ice cream. From the El Mero Mero taqueria food truck, I tried the birria tacos, which were delectable. 

Pop princess, EMELINE was next up and her performance was nothing short of electric. She owned the stage and kept the crowd hyped.  

At the height of the evening, bbno$ performed, which delighted all the white boys in the crowd. Not an ounce of energy declined in the crowd as bbno$ lived up to the hype of being the show’s headliner. 

At this point, the beer garden was filling up and folks were getting hammered. Uni girls were snapping pics of flat male buttocks and were trying to find out which man possessed the juciest peach in the Fall Fest field (don’t ask). Wobbly walkers roamed the grounds looking for their next Budweiser to crush. People were acting foolish. Life was good. 

Now, I don’t want to say it again, so I’ll let a MacEwan student say it for me. “First years…never miss a fucking Fall Fest,” warns Joehn Torez, a second-year student, “You will regret it!”

Sept. 8, 2023 was one for the books. A night full of laughter, buffoonery, and enjoyment. See you next year, Fall Fest!