By Jennifer K. Morita

September 23, 2022

The Sacramento State campus will come alive with music – from Japanese taiko drums to hip-hop and reggae – at the first WEUSI Music Festival from noon to 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 24, at Serna Plaza.

UNIQUE Programs organized the free event, which is open to the public, to provide students and others with a special entertainment opportunity on campus during the weekend.

WEUSI – pronounced “We-You-See” – stands for We, Us, and I, said UNIQUE Programs advisor Ajamu Lamumba.

“We’re trying to emphasize unity within the Sac State community,” Lamumba said. “We want to give students something to do that they can be proud of right here on campus. They don’t have to go to UC Davis or Berkeley or anywhere else.

“All they have to do is come back to campus and enjoy a day of music.”

Sacramento Taiko Dan, a popular local Japanese drum group, will open the festival at noon, followed by the New Orleans-style jazz group Element Brass Band.

The festival will also feature hip-hop artists, Consci8us and Oke Junior, both Sac State alums.

“I’m excited,” Oke Junior said. “I always love coming back to Sac State. It’s like everything is coming full circle. Being able to come back to my alma mater is a good feeling.”

Other acts include Stockton rock band Clockwork Hero; the Color Wild, an indie-rock group from Sacramento; and Chico reggae band Mystic Roots.

Food trucks will be on site, as will information tables for campus resources, clubs, and organizations. Games and free giveaways for prizes such as gas gift cards will also be available.

“Students work very hard,” Lamumba said. “They go to school, write papers, and take exams. They need to have something that will be a lasting college memory.”

The music festival is the latest event planned by UNIQUE Programs, which also puts on the Wednesday Nooner concert series and movie nights.

“For a number of years, we’ve been hearing the complaint that there’s nothing to do on the weekends on campus,” Lamumba said. “We have a lot of students living on campus now, plus there’s a lot of apartments nearby that focus on students, so there are a lot of students within walking distance.

“We just need to give them something to do.”

Lamumba said he hopes the festival will become an annual event.

The WEUSI Music Festival is free and open to the public. Sac State students should bring their OneCard to win prizes such as gas cards, a $50 skateboard, and a free parking permit for the Spring 2023 semester.

For more information about the WEUSI Music Festival, visit SacStateUNIQUE.com or call the University Union Help Desk at 916-278-6997.