Mark your calendars for Sept. 19 from 5 p.m. to midnight because it’s going to be a whale of a time. This date marks the final Oakwood Street Festival for the quickly approaching end of the summer.

Originally founded in 2010, Oakwood Street Festival has been a re-occurring event for five years. Completely free, Oakwood Street Festival is a great way for residents from the city of Decatur and students from Millikin University – and anyone else who would like to join – to gather together, relax, and enjoy a great evening.

For students especially, these block parties are a taste of home. Erin, a sophomore nursing major said, “I love the Oakwood Street Festival because the people there feel like my neighbors. All the scents and sounds come together to form an exciting and unique evening that I absolutely love to be a part of.”

Erin tries to go to the festivals when she can and that it’s a good break from studying.

Oakwood Street Festival’s Facebook page says to join then for “Live music, eclectic cuisine, cold beer, dancing and fun.”

A junior athletic training major from Miami Beach, Rory Arnold verifies those claims stating that, “Between the dancing and the people singing along, there is some great people watching.”

He also said, “Oakwood Festival is a great way for the community to get out and come together and support each other and to also see the local talent. I love seeing the interactions between old and new friends; particularly the way faces light up as they recognize someone they haven’t seen in a long time.”

When asked what he most looks forward to within the evening he said that he gets excited about the availability of cheap food and a great, safe place to hang out near Millikin’s campus.

The weekend of Sept. 19 brings the two headliners, Aaron Kamm and the One Drops and Crate 2 Crate Sound System.

Petunia Smith, a local Decatur resident, said that she has been following the bands that perform at Oakwood for a while. A music lover, she has been attending the festivals since 2012. She says that she enjoys the exposure to new sounds and that even if some isn’t her favorite, she likes that she gets to broaden her music exposure.

When asked about her experiences at the street festivals Smith said, “I really enjoy seeing the young Millikin students, and I always reach out to say hello. It’s a wonderful place to dance and to make friends in the crowd. I love the music, except when it rains. I also love the great food, especially Donnie’s Pizza.”

This block party is non-profit and depends on the hard work and collaboration that Millikin brings to it. Volunteers are needed and are always welcome to assist with set-up and tear down activities.

They are also always open to growing the event and adding different vendors and stands. If anyone is interested the festival coordinators can be readily contacted at [email protected]. Additionally “like” their Facebook page to keep up to date on all their upcoming news.