Menu Close

SienaFest 2022: A Weekend to Remember

The excitement on campus leading up to SienaFest weekend 2022 was at an all-time high. Out of all four present classes attending Siena College, only the current seniors, the Class of 2022, has ever experienced a real SienaFest. Curious, eager, and electrified, students of all classes anticipated a weekend to remember. SienaFest is planned by the Student Events Board, specifically the Concert Co-Chairs and Festivals Co-Chairs. This year, the Concert Co-Chairs were Collin Acampora and Luke Keith. The Festivals Co-Chairs were Harleen Saini and Lauren Wilde. The duos put their all into the weekend, and did an outstanding job, receiving widespread praise from the student body. 

SienaFest weekend kicked off on Thursday, April 21st with an Asian Market occurring in the SSU. Students enjoyed various foods including boba, mochi, samosas, naan, and much more. Students were then able to float across the Atrium to the Maloney Great Room and enjoy SEB Coffeehouse’s Roller Rink. While there were some spills and splits, there were many laughs that made it all worth it. The first day of SienaFest was a success, but the Concert and Festivals Co-Chairs were gearing up for two of the biggest days of the year. 

Friday, April 22nd was a long-awaited day for all saints. It had been revealed weeks ago that Swae Lee would join us live for a concert to remember. As tensions rose and the clock ticked down to Swae Lee’s arrival, plenty of students were hard at work putting on a variety of other entertainment options for students. As classes droned on through the day, students could stop by Alex’s Lemonade Stand to grab some lemonade, cookies, and donate to childhood cancer at various locations, including the library and Lonnstrom Landing. Later in the day, campus groups such as Passion Dance Technique, Bhangra, Hip Hop, and the Siena Dance Team performed on Nigro Plaza for all members of the Siena community. For the first time all day, campus went silent for a bit. Inside the dorm halls, students scrambled to get ready for Swae Lee to arrive. Soon, the line outside of the MAC began to grow….and grow and grow. Saints grabbed cookies from the Cookie Truck parked right outside of the MAC and began to flood into the Field House. Junior Olivia Burns opened for Swae Lee singing hits from artists such as Paramore and Olivia Rodrigo. The long-awaited moment arrived when Swae Lee jumped on stage, full of energy and excitement. Sophomore Julia Coben, when asked about the concert, stated “It was great to finally have an in-person SienaFest concert experience!” The concert was an astounding success, and it seemed as though all attendees agreed. Finally, the Class of 2023, 2024, and 2025 were given an opportunity to see a real live SienaFest concert. 

The high-energy weekend continued on Saturday, April 23rd, a day jam-packed with activities and fun. The day kicked off with the classic SienaFest carnival, spreading all across the quad, down to Rosetti Hall, and up to Padua Beach. Students enjoyed food trucks such as Kona Ice and Burger 21. Senior Sophie Whiteman, while discussing all of the rides at SienaFest this year, stated, “It was nice to get back to the old SienaFest. Myself and many of my friends enjoyed the swings and the slide with Brother Tito!” The fun of the carnival went on for several hours until the afternoon winded down into the Siena Siesta. Students were able to take a break during the busy weekend for an hour, recharge, and participate in a celebrity scavenger hunt across campus, keeping in line with the Hollywood theme that was threaded throughout the weekend. Soon after the Siena Siesta, the activities picked back up with Cloud 9, a musical concert featuring talented student artists. The Healthy Cafe food truck provided a light meal during the concert, and students took the liberty to lay out towels and blankets on the grass to cozy up with their friends. Enjoying the live music seemed to be a highlight of many participants’ days. As the sun set, students drifted towards the quad to participate in laser tag. Once the fun outside had concluded, the weekend was topped off by Saturday Night Life’s Oscars After Party, where students danced to music produced by a live DJ, snacked on a dessert bar, and had the opportunity to both dress up and dress down. 

Overall, SienaFest 2022 was one to remember for all students involved. SEB Coffeehouse Co-Chair, freshman Patrick Lenihan stated, “My first ever SienaFest was the greatest experience.” Whether it was your first SienaFest or your last, I hope that you were able to feel the sense of community that large-scale events at Siena provide us with.