On Aug. 24, Hillsborough Street closed down for Packapalooza, NC State’s annual welcome week block party. Packapalooza is sponsored by several NC State organizations, as well as organizations that work closely with the campus, including NC State Campus Enterprises, NC State Student Government, Gonza Tacos y Tequila, and Arts NC State.
Packapalooza 2019’s attendance suffered, with inclement weather being a primary deterrent. Streets this year were easily navigable, while in past years, they were packed. While it did lower the temperature, the rain made it difficult for performers and vendors to work. Justine Hollingshead, the Chief of Staff for the Department of Academic and Student Affairs and co-chair of the Packapalooza planning committee, said attendance was down by almost 20,000 people this year.
“We know that attendance was lower this year,” Hollingshead said. “Last year, attendance was estimated at a little over 80,000, and this year we know for sure it wasn’t 80,000. It was somewhere between 55,000 and 60,000. At the end of the night, we didn’t have as many people as we’ve had before, and we attribute our lower numbers to the rain.”
In the Arts Performance Area, towels were put down to keep water from running under the tent and damaging electrical equipment. Performers on the Coke Stage had technical difficulties due to the rain. The inflatables in the Play Zone were not used much, as they were covered in water.
“We did have to cancel a few performers, some of our student groups that dance in the Cultural Performance Area, because it just wasn’t safe with slippery surfaces,” Hollingshead said. “By and large, all of our musical acts still performed on the stages, and all of our activities in Art Zone, for example, all still happened, so we had very few cancellations due to the weather.”
Just Cuz Crew, a student hip-hop dance group, was one of the groups whose performances had to be cancelled. Just Cuz Crew Director Alex Singleton, a third-year studying accounting, said Packapalooza staff did their best to avoid cutting the show, but safety was the deciding factor in cancelling the performance.
“We did our performance at the Art Zone, because that one was a tent and it was covered, and the staff did everything that they could to try and accommodate and wipe the stage and keep everything dry,” Singleton said. “We had to cancel the Culture Showcase because that one was literally just outside in the street. I was a little bummed out, but I obviously understood. The safety of my dancers is always my first priority.”
Singleton said groups were given the option to perform if they were willing to take on the risk, and that was solely up to the directors of the groups.
Vendors began arriving around 6 a.m., before the rain started, and were not prepared for the weather. Most booths had tents, but some booths did not and had to sit in the rain for most of the day. Attendees were seen waiting in lines while wearing raincoats, holding umbrellas and even huddling under tents to stay dry.
The night rounded off with Delta Rae, the main stage headliner, performing at 8:45 p.m. The rain had largely stopped at that point, and the crowd did not seem to suffer too much. Turnout for the concert was sizeable as many attendees returned just at the end of the night.
“This was a great year with Delta Rae, very much a local fan favorite given their connections and ties to the area,” Hollingshead said. “We really appreciate them coming out, and I think it was a great show at the end of the night. For us, that’s always important, and we’re glad that people came out and still supported the event.”
Regardless of the weather, Packapalooza continued to serve the NC State campus as well as the Triangle with quality food, entertainment and friendship. It seems that students and nonstudents alike feel Packapalooza is a tradition that cannot be missed.
Cirque De Vol performer Mandy Conlin performs during Packapalooza on Saturday, August 24, 2019 on Hillsborough Street. Cirque De Vol is an aerial acrobatics and fitness center in downtown Raleigh. The 2019 Packapalooza event is a continuation of NC State's annual block-party tradition to ring in the new school year with vendors, artists, live performances, food, and give-aways.
