Southern Utah University hosted its 15th annual Forever Red tradition on Saturday, Sept. 27. Joining the nationwide celebration of America 250, the event brought an Americana beach theme to the upper quad. At 7:30 p.m., the green grass of the upper quad was filled with attendees dressed in red and the dance party started.
The evening opened with traditional songs and dances from The Pacific Islander Student Association. They paid tribute to the Pacific islands of Samoa, Fiji and Tahití and invited the audience to be a part of it. The SUUSA Student Body President, Landon Lee, joined and everyone cheered at the performance.
After this, Good Vibrations: A Tribute to The Beach Boys took the stage. They sang famous songs such as “Surfin’ U.S.A,” “Kokomo” and “Wouldn’t it Be Nice.” As they performed the song “Be True to Your School,” they were joined by the Thunderbird Marching Band. The audience was ecstatic and sang along with each word.
“I love Forever Red. It has been something I always look forward to for the fall semester. I love how every year they bring in different bands. It’s really fun,” said SUU Student Anushka Mehtaz. “The vibe, the music, the company and the people around it. Just dancing with random people is also so fun.”
Besides the live music, the site featured local vendors and organizations from Cedar City, including Kolob Canyon Review, Dole Whip and free cotton candy.
With balloons, synthetic palm trees, fake sand and surfboards at the Tradition Keeper photo booth, the SUU community was immersed in the theme and was able to capture the moment.
Zion’s Bank ended the night with their SUU themed drone show for the second year in a row. Everyone counted in unison until the final moment arrived. Captivated by the spectacle, the audience remained silent, with only a few scattered “wows” escaping here and there. A star, a beach, Thor and more lit up Cedar City’s sky.
“It was the coolest thing, like the highlight of the night,” said Mehtaz. “I’ve always told my friends to come to Forever Red because of the drone show. I’ve never seen a drone show before, except for last year and it’s really cool.”
The show concluded with the well-known sentence, ‘Once a T-Bird, always a T-Bird,’ leaving many with a deep sense of pride and belonging.
“That was very cute and that made my heart sad or I don’t know the exact word. Like, it just made me emotional and proud,” added Mehtaz.
With more than 1,500 people in attendance, SUU once again brought together T-Birds of all ages, reminding everyone that they will always belong here.
Author: Fanny Felixine
Editor: Briar Adams
Photos by Margaux Feret
life@suunews.net
