EMUsic Fest returns to campus with local music, vendors - MLive.com

YPSILANTI, MI — Ariona Kalaj’s senior thesis was originally going to be about accounting.

Instead, she decided to establish a music festival.

EMUsic Fest, the fruit of that decision, is returning for a second year Thursday, Sept. 26 from 4 to 10:30 p.m. at Eastern Michigan University’s Lakehouse and Amphitheater. The free event features local vendors and music from eight Michigan-based artists.

The event is co-hosted by Surge at EMU, a student group created by Kalaj for planning the festival and other events, and the Delta Sigma Phi fraternity.

Detroit-based indie band The Timbre of Cedar is heading the bill of performers. The full lineup, as well as information on the different artists and vendors, can be viewed here.

Kalaj, a recent EMU graduate and now a reporting accountant for the University of Michigan, built the festival from scratch in 2018 and documented the planning process for her senior thesis, she said.

Along with creating a shared community experience, a large focus of the festival is engaging students and giving them a chance to establish themselves and their talents, Kalaj said. This is not only through supporting the local vendors and musicians; while planning, Kalaj also enjoyed delegating tasks to those who were eager to develop skills in those areas.

“While I’d love for it to be super established... I like the very DIY element,” Kalaj said. “Everyone’s contributing in their own way.”

Kalaj had the festival in mind when deciding where to work post-graduation, she said: She hopes it will continue to run annually. Having learned from the experience of planning the previous festival, she’s very confident about this year, she said.

While attendance is free, there is a $5 suggested donation with proceeds benefiting the American Red Cross.

“It feels good to know that we’re adding on another element to it and being able to give back,” Kalaj said.

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