Saint Mary's College will welcome recording artist Sara Bareilles to campus today as part of the annual SMC Tostal celebration.
Created after an Irish-inspired spring festival, SMC Tostal will celebrate the end of the academic year. SMC Tostal will host several different activities to allow students to relax and take a break.
The College's Student Activity Board (SAB) is responsible for planning the events held throughout SMC Tostal.
"SAB plans this event every year, but the activities throughout the day have varied from year to year," Michele Peterson, SAB president, said. "A few years ago we had fireworks and an outdoor movie. Last year, we had popular recording artist Colbie Caillat perform."
SAB has been planning the event since last semester, according to Peterson.
"Things really started picking up about two months ago when our offer for Sara Bareilles was accepted," Peterson said. "When this happened, we were really able to start planning the rest of the day."
This year SMC Tostal has several new events to offer students. From henna tattoos to a photo booth, SMC Tostal has something for everyone to enjoy. The special musical guest this year will be Sara Bareilles featuring Katius, a band from Dayton, Ohio, as the opening act.
SAB worked with a booking agent from Indianapolis in order to get Bareilles to come to campus.
"We have a booking agent from Indianapolis who we contacted to find out which artists were available in our price range on April 16," Peterson said. "Once we figured out who we wanted, we sent in an offer, which was fortunately accepted."
SMC Tostal is held every year to offer students a chance to relax from the stresses of the end of the year. SMC Tostal is free of charge, and allows for some fun to mix up the daily routine.
"Students should go to the SMC Tostal because the end of the semester is always stressful and this gives students the opportunity to relax and have a little bit of fun, all for free," Peterson said. "Also, how often do you get to see a popular recording artist for free?"
SAB decided to make the tickets free so all students could enjoy SMC Tostal.
"We want everyone to go, regardless if they can afford a ticket or not," Peterson said. "They deserve it!"
The events in the student center will begin at 12 p.m. and will run through 4 p.m. Special desserts will be in the dining hall from 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. The Bareilles concert will begin at 6 p.m. in the Angela Athletic facility.
