Christopher Wade and Kawanna Foster are planning to bring back the spunk in N.C. A&T’s annual Aggie Fest.

“Aggie Fest 2012 is going to be a return to the hype that it once was,” says Wade, the vice-president of external affairs. “It’s not the heyday as it once was in the 80’s, but it’s going to be a lot more than what has been seen in the last couple of years.”

For months, these co-chairs of the Aggie Fest committee have been planning an entire week filled with events and socials for the students on campus. Unlike the past when it was three to four days, this year there will be seven days of activities around the university.

The annual Resident Hall Association step off will take place as well as Aggies and Poets, the Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc. stroll competition, a concert, a leadership gala, and a yard fest. Wade says that the yard fest is going to be the pep rally that did not get to happen. Last semester, due to rain the homecoming pep rally that was scheduled to be outside was sent to Moore Gymnasium.

“It’s going to be a big kickback where there will be music and stuff that you can go out with your friends and have a good time,” he says. “It’s going to be a cookout to get that traditional HBCU vibe to it.”

The committee also brought back Roll Bounce, a rolling skating event held in Moore Gymnasium that many students said they wanted it back.

For the first time A&T will collaborate with students across town at UNCG for the start of the Triad College Music Fest, an outdoor concert at White Oak Coliseum. This year’s Aggie Fest is the same time as their annual Spartapalooza – their weeklong yard fest.

“We thought it would be a great idea especially since both school’s students go to each other’s events,” says Foster, president of the student union advisory union. “Aggie Fest is smaller than homecoming, and to make it bigger we thought we should add another school to it.”

This inaugural event for both campuses will feature several local and regional musicians, Big Krit, as well as headliner and North Carolina’s own J. Cole.

“We wanted who was hot now,” says Foster. “UNCG did a survey too, and we wanted someone who both schools would enjoy to see.”

Aggie Fest is typically a smaller production than homecoming; however both Foster and Wade have hopes of changing that with this year’s events.

“We want it to be a big deal,” says Foster. “You already know homecoming is going to be a big, especially since it’s in the fall where there are so many events. When its spring, it’s not as many things going on, and we want people to enjoy and love it.”

• Kelcie C. McCrae, Editor-in-Chief