Sweet melodies echoed through the air on Saturday, April 21 in front of the Rec Center as WQRI held its annual Spring Fest.

Music was definitely the main attraction of the event. WQRI had two performances lined up for the night, including the opening act, the alternative band Sarah and the Sundays. This group is composed of three young men and based out of West Hartford, Connecticut. All of the band’s music is completely written, recorded, mixed, and mastered by the artists themselves. They played a few of their own songs, including their newest single, “The Woods.” Covers were also in store, such as their rendition of Khalid’s “Young Dumb & Broke.”

“Sarah and The Sundays seems like a really cool and laid-back band,” freshman Gigi Fiacco said. “I really enjoyed their set.”

Spring Fest was headlined by singer/songwriter Ivory Layne and her band. In 2015, she was signed by Justin Timberlake to his artist development company, Villa40. Her first EP, “Volume One,” was released in 2013. She sang a range of her own songs, including “Superman,” “Something’s Gonna Happen,” and “Disappointed.” Layne also sang her new song for the crowd that just released today, entitled “Committed.”

Angela Ferguson-Martins, executive training coordinator of WQRI and Host of her own segment, “Ferg in the Morning,” on Mondays from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m, expressed the station’s gratitude in regards to having Layne perform.

“WQRI is extremely grateful to have had Ivory Layne with us on Saturday. She was a real trooper in the cold New England weather that day and she put on a great show,” Ferguson-Martins said.

The station had two food trucks service the event: Del’s Frozen Lemonade and Poppy’s Gourmet Kettle Corn and Waffles. Students were extremely satisfied with the snacks being served by both trucks, although Poppy’s seemed to be the most popular, as the line for their various waffles was consistently frequented.

Other student organizations were quick to come to the aid of WQRI in making the event a truly successful one. Student Senate held a booth that allowed students to make tie dye shirts. IRHA helped out by sponsoring a photo booth, where they provided props and accessories for students to wear in front of a green screen and pose for the camera. Zen jars brought many people to the MSU booth, where students filled glass jars with a glittery mix.

Spring Fest had a successful turnout, attracting more than 100 people who came to hear the music and join in on the fun. It was an important part of WQRI’s season and definitely benefited the organization as a whole.

“WQRI is an org that you might not know exists if no one tells you about it,” Ferguson-Martins said. “Events like this are really great publicity for us because students are going to remember the event that we put on in front of the Rec Center. It’s good for our brand.”