The Ceddia Union Building’s multipurpose (MPR) room was covered in black and clear tarps. Black lights filled the dark room as people crowded the stage and there was even a splash zone for participants to get covered in paint as they walked in the door.

Glowrage, what is described as a “traveling Paint Party and EDM event” by its website, came to Shippensburg University on Friday. A sea of white was seen as soon as students walked into the MPR. The white would soon be stained with neon pink, orange, green and blue.

DJ Stoags, Glowrage’s resident DJ, came on stage at 10 p.m. This gave people time to filter into the MPR and pile around the stage. Once he came on, the music started and people were jumping up and down to remixed tracks of pop songs, as well as electronic tracks.

Shea Evans, one of the event coordinators for the Activities Program Board (APB), described Glowrage as a “color run, but it’s a dance party.” Evans added that Glowrage was originally supposed to be held in the Shippen Hall parking lot, but was moved inside due to the weather forecast. Evans said that if there had been any thunder, APB would have had to cancel the event. Evans also said that if Glowrage was successful, it would replace RaiderFest.

Bria Stevenson, the other event coordinator, echoed Evans when talking about RaiderFest. “[Glowrage] is more college friendly. College kids loved it but alumni and the community didn’t.” Stevenson went on to explain that when RaiderFest occurred, there was negative feedback from social media about how RaiderFest was “boring” and it did not give students an option to participate when the only place to get food on campus was at RaiderFest.

Stevenson added that although replacing RaiderFest was a risky idea, it was a risk APB was willing to take. Evans said that while this was the first time APB was hosting Glowrage, if it was popular this year, APB could host the event again next year.

Kristina Carey, an APB member, said that APB was hoping for at least a 500-person turnout.

“We wanted this to be mainly for students,” Carey said.

She added that while there is a parents and students day in September, APB wanted something that was specifically for students, even if there was a bit of backlash from the community and alumni.

But, APB members were not the only students in attendance. Traci Moyer and Trent Bauer, the president and vice president of Student Senate, were at Glowrage. “I was immediately excited,” Bauer said when asked how he felt when Glowrage was announced. Moyer said that she had fun at Glowrage and that the DJ was good.

Sophomore Rob Moore, said that he did not expect the event to be good. He also said there were lots of people and echoed Moyer’s comments, saying that he liked the DJ.

“The only way this could be better was being completely covered in paint,” senior Taylor Smith said.

The night ended with a Beyoncé ticket raffle, which was won by SU student Gianna Uzzo. Overall, the night seemed to go off without a hitch, with 645 people attending, and most of the attendees leaving covered from head to toe in neon paint with smiles on their faces.

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