TAYLOR JOHNSTON

Events Around Town

05.25.17

Weekly events around campus allow students chance to socialize

Mae Yen Yap / Culture Editor

In the quiet town of Athens, it may seem as if there is nothing to do each week. However, under its appearance is a thriving local arts and performing scene ready to be discovered by incoming Ohio University freshmen.

For students who need a creative outlet, Donkey Coffee invites all aspiring artists to perform.

The coffee shop hosts a series of events in which students and Athens community members are able to perform original music, spoken word or poetry.

“We’ve been having open mic nights for nine or 10 years now,” Levi McFarland, a barista at Donkey, said. “The owner, Chris Pyle, wanted to make Donkey not only just a coffee shop …, but he wants it to be a performance place as well.”

Although some musicians perform song covers during those open mic nights, it’s “primarily original content and spans a lot of different genres,” McFarland said.

Individuals will also be able to share their spoken word and poetry pieces during Designated Space, which is held every Tuesday at 9 p.m.

Those events bring a lot of traffic to Donkey Coffee, but the events are held specifically as a space for musicians.

“They have the outlet to be able to easily go to a place and play for their first time for audience and … help increase the (art) community,” McFarland said.

Every week, Casa Nueva features local bands and artists as part of its weekend performance series.

Bands ranging from trash metal punk to hip-hop have been featured in the Mexican-inspired cantina in past semesters.

The cover charges vary depending on the performance and the event being held.

One of Casa Nueva’s highlighted events is International Dance Night, which is held once each semester. The night features international music and is an opportunity for the local and international populations to mingle and have fun. The event is held once during Homecoming week in Fall Semester and once during International Week in Spring Semester.

McKinley Law | FILE

Dennis Allen, a worker uptown, attends Trivia night at Casa Nueva Restaurant & Cantina in Athens, Ohio on Tuesday, February 28, 2017.

Students who may want to socialize without going far from their residence halls need not look any further. Ohio Late Nights is a series of events held in the Living Learning Center every Saturday night.

“(The event) is a place for students to come and relax on a Saturday night,” Mychael Ihnat, the coordinator for Ohio Late Nights, said.

More than 100 students attend each week, Ihnat, who is also the resident director of Gamertsfelder Hall, said. The event provides games and food for students to socialize with one other. Some events featured are craft nights and performances from organizations on campus.

Ihnat said she believes some students are occupied with studying to the point where they are unable to have “a life outside of school.” The weekly event, however, provides a space for students to socialize without having to go far from their rooms.

“A lot of students love the fact they can come (to the event) and hang out with friends, enjoy their time and not really worry about anything and just have fun,” Ihnat said.

Development by: Taylor Johnston / Digital Production Editor