OH-FEST is back. Here’s what you need to know!

By James Marci | Activities Council President

We have come a long way from the days of the COVID-19 pandemic. If you recall, in the Spring of 2021, our school participated in a virtual concert called SUNYFest. This online concert featured virtual performances from countless SUNY representatives, AJR, and Kesha. In the Spring of 2022, O-Fest ‘22 was held in the Alumni Field House, featuring the student group Rib & the Bones, the Little Mermen, and headliner, Flo Rida.  

In the past year, we have heard the opinions and ideas of countless students at our Activities Council meetings (Fridays at 4 PM in Hunt Union). This year, the biggest changes to our school’s big spring concert were that the concert will be held outdoors and that we partner with Hartwick College once again, as we had for many years prior to the COVID-19 era. 

OH-FEST ‘23 will take place on April 29, 2023, in two parts. First, there will be a fair on Oneonta’s Main Street, from 1 PM to 5 PM. This portion of the event is open for the entire community to attend. There will be a lot of fun games, representatives from different organizations, and music! This fair is also a great opportunity to check out the fantastic local businesses located on Main Street. 

The second part of the day is the big OH-FEST ‘23 concert, which will be on the SUNY Oneonta Campus, located in the big parking lot just outside of the Human Ecology building. This concert will feature superstar performer T-Pain, Nappy Boy Entertainment performer NandoSTL, and the two-time winner of the OH-Factor competition, Oneonta’s very own Rib & the Bones! Doors will open at 4:30 PM, and the show should start at 6 PM and end around 9 PM. 

Tickets for the concert portion of OH-FEST ‘23 are available for purchase for SUNY Oneonta and Hartwick College students and alumni only, although Oneonta and Hartwick students may purchase one guest ticket. Tickets are available for purchase at oneonta.universitytickets.com. Alumni can email [email protected] with their class year(s) to request access to purchase a ticket.  

This concert will occur rain or shine, and no bags, weapons, drugs, alcohol, or outside food are allowed. In the case of a dangerous weather event, the concert will be moved indoors to the Dewar Arena of the Alumni Field House, and in that case, the first 3200 tickets sold will be exchanged for indoor tickets and the remaining tickets will be refunded. 

If you are a student who is looking to volunteer at the concert, please message our organization’s Instagram account @OneontaAC. 

I believe that I speak for the entire SUNY Oneonta Activities Council and the Hartwick College Activities Board when I say that we are very excited for OH-FEST ‘23. I am proud of the work that we have done to bring together SUNY Oneonta, Hartwick College, and the greater Oneonta community for the first time in many years. We look forward to a fun and safe day of events!