On Saturday, August 25th, Olivet College will host its first all-day music festival, thanks to student-athlete and budding music organizer Zach Oshinsky, along with sponsorship from the Student Athletic Advisory Committee. With a solid lineup of music featuring a bunch of quality Michigan acts, the festival promises to appeal to students and local music fans alike. We spoke briefly to Zach about the festival, what made him decide to start this project, and what he hopes will come out of it.
B: So what made you want to put on a music festival at your school?
Z: Originally I wanted to do just a regular music show in this old gym at the school, we were going to do it before Winter break 2017, but for various reasons we decided that planning for this Fall would work out better. After talking with the office of student life, I made a survey and sent it out to a bunch of students, and based on their responses they wanted a festival with different kinds of music, so I took that and I ran with it.
B: So how have you been involved in music before this?
Z: It really all started when my parents used to take my sister and I to Movement, back then it was called DEMF and it was free, so that was my first experience with concerts and music festivals. Then much later my sister started a charity called Homies Detroit, where she put on events and had people teaching yoga while artists played, she had Golf Clap come through and people like that. But then last summer was my first real exposure to music festivals, because I started getting photo passes, and I would just walk around backstage and things like that. It was really eye-opening, and I was just like, “I think I could do this,” and I thought Olivet was the perfect place to do it.
B: How did you go about choosing the artists for the festival?
Z: There were a lot of factors, it was mostly just people that I knew or knew of that I thought could be interested in it. I’ve known Mikeyy Austin for a couple years now, and like I knew Munch because I was from the area and had heard of him, and then some of them are honestly just random people I like. In the end I’m so happy with the way that it turned out.
B: Yeah, it seems like a great mix, there’s something for almost everyone on that bill.
Z: Another thing I hope will happen is that the artists will come, they’ll meet each other, maybe work together, and just forming connections in general with the artists.
B: So almost like a networking opportunity for the organizers and the artists, and maybe even for the attendees as well?
Z: Exactly.
B: Right on. To wrap things up, what do you hope people will get out of the experience? Both people at Olivet, but also people coming from out of town.
Z: I hope they’ll realize that big things can happen from just an idea. Olivet college only has around 1,200 students, it’s a pretty small campus community, but it can easily be capable of hosting a music festival. It’s a great bill, the ticket is totally worth it, and there will be beer and food and all that too. I think it’ll just be cool to be a part of something that’s never happened before at Olivet.
Be sure to check out Olivet College Music Festival on August 25th, featuring performances from Michigander, Munch, Soul Brother Stef, and many more!
Get your tickets here.
