After two years of being virtual, the University of Technology’s College Rave party series returns to a face-to-face format Thursday at the Students’ Activity Centre on campus.

The event, which has been used to raise funds for student-assist programmes, is accustomed to attracting large crowds of UTech students as well as patrons from the surrounding communities, and students from other universities.

This year, it returns under the theme, ‘The Resurrection’.

“This symbolises the high-profile event that collage raves once were and the restoration process we’ll undertake in refueling and reviving that cultural energy,” Conrad Hunt, UTech Entertainment Director told OBSERVER ONLINE.

“Additionally there will be special guest artistes who will make appearances and we will be featuring diskjocks Dj Kevi the kinetic, JJ deadlock and Insaneo and the Code Red Sound,” Hunt added.

President of UTech Students Union, Tavoy Barret said College Rave was once a crucial part of the university experience as it creates an opportunity for out of classroom engagement.

“What people may not have realised is that this event wasn’t only about the vibes, but it was also about raising funds to actively support students in need through different assistance programmes,” he explained.

Barret further told OBSERVER ONLINE that the reintroduction of the event now means that “we are able to increase funding for these assistance programmes and ultimately support more students.”

Meanwhile, Hunt added that as the entertainment director, he particularly loves that he is able to see what students want, be able to provide it and watch as they enjoy it.

“That means the most to me. The aim is to revisit the culture we once had before all of this COVID and luckily, I am a student who had already experienced the life of partying on campus so I am better able to reinstall that culture,” he explained.

“It may be challenging as most students now actually started in COVID and have no idea of the entertainment side of college. However, even though it might be negative that they aren’t aware of the culture, I think it’s a major opportunity for us as the leaders to look back, fix whatever mistakes were made, and reset that experience for the new students,” Hunt added.