Packapalooza is a newer tradition at NC State, beginning only in 2012, but has changed dramatically in the last five years, rising in both attendance and prominence.
Aug. 18, 2012
The first-ever Packapalooza acted as a celebration of NC State’s 125th Anniversary. Packapalooza combined a festival celebration and a concert celebration into one large event to cap off Wolfpack Welcome Week. The block party was meant to be both a time for celebration and a time for reflection as NC State reached this historic milestone. 2012 saw an estimated 30,000 attendees and 175 vendors. The musical headliner that year was alternative rock band Carolina Liar, who took off from headlining Kelly Clarkson to attend the event.
Aug. 24, 2013
The second annual Packapalooza featured autograph signings from the 1983 championship men’s basketball team. Packapalooza 2013 was headlined by indie rock band Mutemath and also saw musical appearances from local artists like Kooley High and DJ Bobby Drake, as well as American Idol winner Scotty McCreery, who played guitar on stage alongside Chancellor Randy Woodson and football coach Dave Doeren.
Aug. 23, 2014
NC State’s third Packapalooza had a record 55,000 attendees and an estimated 10,000 attendees at the Scotty McCreery concert alone. McCreery acted as the headliner in 2014, but the block party also saw musical performances from Grains of Time and NC State a cappella group Ladies in Red. The event featured 300 vendors, including 90 to 100 student organizations. The event was struck by several rain showers but much like the 2016 Packapalooza, it did not greatly affect the event.
Aug. 22, 2015
Last year’s Packapalooza saw a record-breaking 350 vendors. The block party did something different with their musical headliners in 2015, with a joint headline performance. Dubbed the Hip Hop Time Machine, 2015 saw southern rap quartet Nappy Roots, Public Enemy DJ Terminator X, female rapper Rhapsody and North Carolina rapper Petey Pablo take the stage in a two-hour performance. NC State’s Habitat for Humanity student chapter announced their two-year plan to fundraise $715,000 dollars to “Build-a-Block of 11 townhomes.”
Scotty McCreery, then-junior studying communication and headlining artist for Packapalooza, performs Saturday, Aug. 23, 2014.
