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The Suffolk Journal

Your School. Your Paper. Since 1936.

The Suffolk Journal

Your School. Your Paper. Since 1936.

The Suffolk Journal

CollegeFest: where students get entertainment, free swag

Photo+by+Alison+Melillo
Photo by Alison Melillo

Alison Melillo, Journal Contributor

Last Saturday and Sunday at the Hynes Convention Center, CollegeFest 2011 provided non-stop, day-long entertainment for college students from the area.

 

Beginning on the entrance’s sidewalk, trucks and street vendors were handing out bags and free merchandise, candy, flyers, and coupons.

 

As lines of students flooded the convention center’s lobby, staffers were everywhere helping with direction. Jake Boynton, who was on duty for the day, awaited the expected 10,000 attendees while leading swag bag sign-ups.
The swag bag, given to attendees upon entering, included a Newbury Card. Cardholders are eligible to save money at many places on Newbury Street.

 

The event itself cost $10 at the door; however, free or reduced entry was offered to BlackBerry phone users who provided their names and BBM Pin numbers.

 

BlackBerry was one of several College fest sponsors; others included Google+, Verizon, Ford, Kiss 108, Jam’n 94.5, Barnes & Noble, repnation, and The Boston Phoenix.

 

Vendors’ tables and booths were organized in rows up and down the areas of two rooms. Among setups were Monster energy drinks, Dream Water, Polar Beverages, Simply Dresses, and Forca Clothing. Energy drinks were in hands of and stocked in the bags of roaming students.

 

Each booth had its own attraction, whether a spin prize, photo booth, contest entry, or free give-a-way. Many vendors required e-mail addresses to add to their mailing lists before taking entries for free items.

 

“I had so many chances to sign up for Red Sox and Patriots tickets, it was so worth it,” said Nicole Smith, a freshman from Curry College.

 

Live entertainment was the other main of the two-day event. Over 40 performances were made between the BlackBerry and Google+ stages. In addition to fashion shows, dance crews and a pizza eating contest, headlining musical acts included We The Kings, The Dean’s List, Chris Webbie, and Hoodie Allen.

 

“The free stuff was definitely worth it, but I’m here to see Dean’s List,” said Michael Thompson from UMass Dartmouth, who attended as a result of flyers posted all over his college campus.

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CollegeFest: where students get entertainment, free swag