I am UIC: Location change for Spark a plus for students

This year UIC moved the annual music festival from the UIC Pavilion to a bigger field — Harrison Field. The outdoor environment created more space for the audience to enjoy the concert.

On Sept. 9, the free and private musical concert — Spark in the Park — was attended by the students of UIC, faculty and staff. Guests were charged $30 and alumni who attended purchased the tickets for $25. In addition, UIC partnered with DePaul so students of DePaul could also attend the concert by purchasing the ticket.

Spark in the Park originated in 2010 as an exciting way to begin the school year. This event was created to provide a wide range of entertainment for UIC’s diversified student population by inviting both national and local artists.

Approximately 4 p.m, students were already queued around the Harrison Field (corner of Halsted and Harrison) ready to experience this year’s performance, which included artists such as DRAM and Nick Jonas.

Caroline Hesterman, a junior majoring in education, was very happy about the change of location this year.

“This field is big enough for everyone in comparison to the Pavilion, this way everyone can enjoy the concert with enough space to move around,” she said.

Harrison Field was able to accommodate both UIC and DePaul students without people feeling squished-up, or encountering a situation of an overcrowded concert due to a limited space.

Ross Shola was excited about the show.

“My friend has always told me about Spark in the Park, but I am happy to be here experiencing it live,” he said. “I love DRAM and am also enjoying Nick Jonas performance, actually.”

The field was lit up in different colors as students sang along and waved their glow sticks in the air. They sang loudly and joyfully to every song performed by each artist.

“I didn’t know the song, “Jealous” was by Nick Jonas, I had always liked this song but seeing the performance made the song sound even better, I know it will be stuck in my head for the rest of the week,” Shola said as he started humming the rhythm of the song.

Temitope Eddna Odedoyin is majoring in English and fully concentrating in media and professional writing. Apart from writing, she has have a passion for painting, and enjoys using watercolors, oil paint, acrylic, charcoal, oil pastel. She also has an interest in creative writing and short stories. She believes that art — through writing and painting — is a way of expressing one’s feelings.