Photo Credit: Tye Brown, The Sentinel
Kennesaw State University attracted hundreds of students during its annual Hooty Harvest and the final round of Owl Radio’s Battle of the Bands on Nov. 18.
Along with Owl Radio, Kennesaw State’s Department of Student Activities, Parent and Family Programs, Department of Student Leadership and FLIGHT programs worked together to make Hooty Harvest a reality.
The event took place from 5pm to 8pm and yielded unparalleled student involvement. There was a great variety of activities and games for students to engage with on the Campus Green.
Games, prizes, free food and more!
Sitting at the edge of the Green near the Carmichael Student Center, giant versions of common household games caught the attention of many festival attendees. The entrance to Hooty Harvest showcased these unique games, featuring chess, checkers, cup pong and even a nearly four-foot rendition of Connect Four.
A mechanical bull pulled many adrenaline-seeking students to the far corner of the Green. Students socializing near the popular attraction were sure to be sharply interrupted as brave participants let out screams when flung from the bull’s back.
The largest inflatable of the event was a giant arena featuring a wrecking ball suspended in the air. People inside the arena attempted to sling the ball at one another, trying their hardest to knock each other off the platforms they stood upon.
Inflatable axe-throwing also appeared at the event. Students competed in pairs, fiercely facing off to see who could successfully hit the bullseye with their axes.
Event-goers tested their strength at the “High Striker” as participants smashed a hammer against the machine’s bell to achieve the highest score.
Many students ventured to test their navigation ability by exploring the festival’s corn maze. Although the labyrinth itself did not include an exit, some students spent up to 10 minutes inside while attempting to discover an outlet.
For those who love room decor, a unique DIY booth was a main attraction of the event. Students spraypainted a spinning piece of paper, creating a take-home piece of art with sunburst patterns.
A long line gathered outside the festival’s picture booth near the Buruss building. A collection of digital filters allowed groups of friends to pose under a variety of backdrops, creating a customizable and fun experience.
Students were excited for free food and beverages at the event. An entire sector of the Green was solely dedicated to serve cotton candy, snow cones, cookies and hot chocolate to hungry Owls.
Along with the festival’s exciting activities, various prizes were awarded at many stations throughout Hooty Harvest.
Upon landing on the winning section of a prize wheel, victorious students walked away with a signature KSU supply bag- an item that is otherwise only available at the campus’ merch store.
A rubber duck game was located directly next to it, with winning individuals receiving not only a supply bag but also a KSU-branded T-shirt.
Directly next door to the prize wheel, students took their turns in a rubber duck game. Winning Owls not only received a KSU supply bag, but a KSU-branded t-shirt, as well.
The Battle of the Bands: The final verdict
While Hooty Harvest exhibited many engaging activities, the main event for many students was the final round of The Battle of the Bands.
Bands “Alianca Ensemble,” “Stair 8” and “Glass Edge” performed for the entire duration of Hooty Harvest, each offering various different perspectives and executions of their music.
The first performance by Alianca Ensemble included delicately played pieces of jazz-fusion, allowing spectators to settle into the rest of the day’s activities.
“Stair 8” offered a unique brand of shoegaze—a form of alternative rock—that blasted from amplifiers in colossal waves of sound. A lively jam session at the end of the band’s cover of The Cure’s “Just Like Heaven” was a highlight for many Owls.
Founding member of “Stair 8,” KSU student Cole Regna, offered insight into these exact influences from alternative rock acts.
“We get kind of [influenced] from all over,” Cole said. “We’re obviously big fans of Radiohead, [we] love Geese…we’re just playing what we love.”
Finishing off the night with an explosive finish, metalcore band “Glass Edge” presented its trademarked delivery, a little toned down, but still clairvoyantly fiery.
Producing the band’s mosh-dependent music in an academic setting was a priority for “Glass Edge.” The band’s vocalist, KSU student Andrew Nava, expressed the hurdles needed to overcome this defect.
“I have been practicing saying things that are vague,” Andrew said. “I’m just gonna tell people to get hype and to keep moving… whatever they decide to do is on them.”
His comments quickly came to fruition as they performed, as a chaotic mosh pit emerged consistently throughout the band’s entire set. Barrages of kicks, punches and dances left many of those who joined the pit with injuries—and more importantly, lifelong memories to cherish.
Hooty Harvest attendee Egan Ison was one of these individuals deeply involved in the mosh pit. He put his thoughts rather simply.
“It was intense. I got hit in the ribs, but guess what? It’s all worth it,” Ison said.
After a 30-minute viewer vote, “Glass Edge” came out on top as the winner of The Battle of the Bands. The band will receive a placement in KSU’s spring festival along with $500 to spend on music equipment.
Hooty Harvest and The Battle of the Bands brought hundreds of Owls together, making it one the most successful and exciting campus events of the year.
