Expedition Soulfest: Every Country is Gator Country

Over 300 people gathered in the Phillips Center for the Performing Arts Sunday night to watch various acts perform in Soulfest, a multicultural talent show. Jania Lowe, a third-year public relations student and director of Soulfest, said the event is meant to showcase and celebrate the diversity and talent within The Gator Nation. The show, which is free for students, was started in 2000. Soulfest has a different theme every year. This year’s theme was Expedition Soulfest: Every Country is Gator Country. Lowe said the goal of this theme is to ensure the representation and inclusion of all Gators because The Gator Nation is global. 

“Every Gator from wherever they are from and wherever they go is a part of The Gator Nation,” Lowe said. 

This year’s Soulfest was sponsored by LIFEWTR, and students were able to submit an original art piece that represented the 2019 Soulfest theme. There were three winners of the competition, and their artwork will be displayed in the Reitz Union bookstore. LIFEWTR partnered with the event because they wanted to start a conversation of cultural expression through art.