Jam band Blues Traveler is scheduled to headline Spring Fever along with rapper Yung Joc and Mississippi rockers Ingram Hill. Other acts include Chase McGinnis, Steve Azar and local band Foxchase Drive.
The concert will be sponsored by the Campus Activities Board, Music Makers and the Student Association and will take place April 14 on the Mississippi State campus.
The artists will perform on stages located at the amphitheater and the Junction.
Spring Fever was created by combining two spring concerts, Down in the District and Old Main Music Festival, both of which took place annually in Starkville’s Cotton District and downtown areas.
Music Makers director Brad Burton said the sponsors have been meeting regularly since October to plan Spring Fever. The sponsors have combined $120,000 in funds for the event.
“[For] Old Main, you had to pay to get in, and Down in the District was free,” Burton said. “Now, since we’ve combined all the funds and added to it, we were able to bring in even bigger bands than either Down in the District or Old Main could bring, and it’s completely free. That’s a definite advantage for all the students.”
SA President Jeremy Johnson said the sponsors chose Blues Traveler and the other artists because they wanted to bring in acts that everyone could enjoy. When single organizations sponsor events, they are limited financially. He said by three organizations joining forces, they were able to book bigger bands for this event.
Johnson said one of the main reasons Spring Fever was moved to campus is to give it a higher student appeal.
“This is the beginning of something that’s going to be a lasting tradition,” Johnson said. “There are too many of the same things going on, and we feel that the best thing to do is just collaborate to make it better, to make it more fun.”
Burton said that hosting Spring Fever on campus eliminates problems and stresses that sponsors have faced in the past when hosting events downtown. He said the new location will be more convenient for students and great for the university.
CAB director Bobbie Lee Daniel said the sponsors have discussed bringing in food vendors from the Cotton District and Main Street so they will not lose the revenue they normally bring in during Down in the District and Old Main. The vendors are still unconfirmed, she said.
Burton said as far as alcohol is concerned, beer and liquor must be in a cup at all times during Spring Fever. Alcohol, by regulation, may not be sold on campus and will not be sold at the concert.
“You can’t be out there walking around with a beer can, a bottle of liquor, a keg or anything like that. However, what you have in your cup is your own business as long as your behavior is not offending others. If behavior becomes a problem, it will be addressed by the police,” Burton said.
Daniel said to help students become more involved in the concert, the sponsors recently discussed a banner contest among campus organizations. Details of the contest will be sent out to presidents of organizations soon.
Burton said a tailgating area will be set up so that those who attend the event may bring out their tents and food.
Daniel said that the location of next year’s Spring Fever depends on the way things go this year.
“This is the first year we’re [holding a concert event on campus] so we just want to test the waters and see what’s going to work,” Daniel said. “We have a great campus. We might as well use the facilities we have. We just want people to know it’s a trial year.”
Tyler Stewart contributed to this article.