Sac State campus comes alive with music and more during weekend festival
September 23, 2022
The Sacramento State campus will come alive with music—from Japanese taiko drums to hip-hop and reggae—during the inaugural WEUSI Music Festival from noon to 6 p.m. on Saturday, September 24 at Serna Plaza.
UNIQUE Programs hosted the free event, which is open to the public, to provide students and others with a special opportunity for on-campus entertainment over the weekend.
WEUSI – pronounced “We-You-See” – stands for We, Us and I, said Ajamu Lamumba, adviser to UNIQUE programs.
“We try to emphasize unity within the Sac State community,” Lamumba said. “We want to give students something to do that they can be proud of right here on campus. They don’t need to go to UC Davis or Berkeley or anywhere else.
“All they have to do is come back to campus and enjoy a day of music.”
Sacramento Taiko Dan, a popular Japanese drumming group, will open the festival at noon, followed by New Orleans-style jazz band Element Brass Band.
The festival will also feature hip-hop artists, Consci8us and Oke Junior, both Sac State alumni.
“I’m excited,” Oke Junior said. “I always love coming back to Sac State. It’s like everything is going in circles. Being able to come back to my alma mater is a good feeling.
Other acts include Stockton’s rock band Clockwork Hero; the Color Wild, an indie-rock band from Sacramento; and the reggae group Chico Mystic Roots.
Food trucks will be on site, as well as information tables on campus resources, clubs and organizations. Free games and giveaways for prizes such as gas gift cards will also be available.
“The students work very hard,” Lamumba said. “They go to school, write assignments and take exams. They need to have something that will be a lasting memory of college.
The music festival is the latest event planned by UNIQUE Programs, which also offers the Wednesday lunchtime concert series and movie nights.
“For a number of years, we’ve heard the complaint that there’s nothing to do on campus on weekends,” Lamumba said. “We have a lot of students living on campus now, and there are a lot of apartments nearby that focus on students, so there are a lot of students within walking distance.
“We just have to give them something to do.”
Lamumba said he hopes the festival will become an annual event.
The WEUSI Music Festival is free and open to the public. Sac State students must bring their OneCard to win prizes such as gas cards, a $50 skateboard and a free parking permit for the spring 2023 semester.
For more information about the WEUSI Music Festival, visit SacStateUNIQUE.com or call the University Union Helpline at 916-278-6997.
