The University of Texas at El Paso will celebrate its 21st annual Minerpalooza, the campus’ largest and loudest pep rally, on Sept. 2.
Minerpalooza will take place from 6 p.m. to midnight in the center of campus, near University Avenue and Hawthorne Street. The kick-off bash celebrates the beginning of the school year and all UTEP athletic programs, including the start of the new football season.
On Sept. 3, the Miner football team faces off against the Seawolves of Stony Brook University, located in Stony Brook, N.Y. It will be the first time the teams meet on the field.
“We celebrate all athletics; we celebrate all students coming back to campus,” said Charlie Gibbens, director of residence life at UTEP and chair of the Minerpalooza committee. “This is a chance for us to say welcome back to the entire University and El Paso community.”
For 21 years, the annual back-to-school tradition has welcomed the community with one of the biggest fundraising events for student organizations on campus. Admission is free and open to the public. Tickets for games and food will be available for purchase.
The event offers live entertainment, inflatables for children, a kids’ zone, a carnival and a pep rally with Coach Mike Price, President Diana Natalicio, Paydirt Pete, the UTEP Cheerleaders and the Golddiggers. Entertainment will be provided by bands Del Rio, Red City Blue, Frontera Bugalú, and DJs Esteban Carrasco and Johnny Kage.
“It’s an exciting opportunity to come out. You get to be up and close with the football team. You get to be up close and meet the president,” Gibbens said. “This event really helps students get a really good understanding of what the University is about.”
This is an opportunity for students to bring their families to campus to show them where they spend most of their time, said Erika Portillo, a student development coordinator and one of the organizers of Minerpalooza.
Excitement for Minerpalooza starts during welcome back week, said Portillo, who has been involved with organizing the event for five years.
“The football season is about to start; for freshman, they don’t know what to expect,” she said. “I think the anticipation of a new season, new school year and new event (Minerpalooza) is exciting for them. We have returning students that have been to it in years past and they come back because they know there are so many people, so much activity, music and food.”
For more information, visit www.utep.edu/minerpalooza.
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