Sonoma State’s Associated Student Production is presenting NomaPalooza. They first announced it in an Instagram post on April 12. It’s going to be a drive-in music festival with pre-recorded performances, and a question-and-answer segment after on Friday, April 30 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
NomaPalooza will be the last ASP event of the school year and will take place on Lot F or can be watched live through Zoom. RSVP will be required and the first 100 students to arrive at parking lot F will receive a custom sticker.
Half the lineup has been announced and will feature Aly & AJ, Leo Blue, and Honeyboys. ASP will also be randomly giving away gift cards and t-shirts to those at the event, according to their most recent Instagram post.
Event Director Mac Patefield, chose the lineup, “to try and get as diverse of a range of music as I could with my budget. Last year, when I was planning my original festival, I visited a lot of classes and canvassed the students asking who they wanted to see. That’s how I got half of my lineup last year and I kept some of those recommended artists for this year. I also tried to spotlight SSU musicians I know, hence bringing local band Leo Blue onto the lineup.”
The response so far has been positive with students commenting how excited they are for the event. Leo Blue even commented, “Lets gooooo” on the post. Another Instagram user @taylor.eddy commented, “AHHH WE STAN ALY & AJ!!!”
Sonoma State student Teagan Dalle Nogare is, “so excited to have the campus open back up and check out what campus has to offer.”
Jhery Mae Monteza thinks, “It’s great that Sonoma State organized an event like this because it allows the students to come together as a community, but stay safe at the same time,” and that she’s “Excited to see Aly & AJ perform because I grew up listening to the as a child,” despite just watching through Zoom.
According to the NomaPalooza RSVP form, those who want to attend the event in person must fill out the Sonoma State Daily Wellness Check screening check online through the Sonoma State website. The event is only open to Sonoma State students. The driver of the car will need to fill out the RSVP form which includes the names and Sonoma State email address for each of their passengers
Patefield stated that some other safety measures being taken are” enforcing a mask mandate the entire event, unless you are in your car and all windows and doors are closed. We will have bathrooms this time though! There will be social distancing enforced while in line, ADA Disability compliant restrooms and hand washing stations. The event is even safer since all the performances are pre-recorded, so no talent is traveling to Rohnert Park to perform.”
Patefield also stated, “at the end of the day, this event was planned for the students. I’ve been trying to get an event like this for students this year, given COVID and everything else SSU students have been through this year. So, my biggest wish is that people enjoy and attend this event and feel like they can be proud to be an SSU student and enjoy an event throughout all of this craziness.”
The link to RSVP for the event in person is under the Associated Student Productions page at https://ssuassociatedstudents.carrd.co/. The link to the Zoom stream will also be available.