Skip to Content, Navigation, or Footer.
We inform. You decide.
Thursday, March 28, 2024
bey day 2018
bey day 2018

On Sept. 4, 2006, those numbers became etched in history as an iconic day: the release of Beyonce’s second studio album “B’Day” and the celebration of Beyonce’s birthday.

Queen Bey’s birthday is coming up in a few days, and Tonight’s The Night in Gainesville are providing a celebration dedicated to Bey herself for the third year in a row.

The idea for the musician’s celebration occurred back in 2016 when Bey Day director and Tonight’s The Night promotions manager Tyler Francischine and her friend Annie Neimand were discussing the idea of the perfect night out. During a conversation about going out for the weekend, Neimand suggested the idea of dancing to Beyonce music all night long.

I took that conversation to heart, and I reached out to the Atlantic to see if they were interested,” Francischine said in an email. “The first Bey Day in 2016 was the first event I had ever organized, and it really lit a fire in me to keep the tradition alive annually.”

From that year forward, Tonight’s The Night serves the Gainesville Beyhive and regular population a night of Beyonce inspired and themed activities to commemorate her life and career.

When asked about the decision on why to start this event and continually organize it, Francichine expressed her admiration for Beyonce. She said Beyonce has been an inspiration for her since 1998.

“I've always admired her style, sense of humor, humility and, of course, her limitless wealth of creative talent. As she's matured over the decades, she's served as a model of female strength and perseverance, constantly pushing the boundaries of what one human can accomplish,” she said.

Fancischine said the response from the Gainesville audience has been so receptive that she wants to continue to spread the love and share in the music of Beyonce.

"This year, we have the treasure trove that is her and Jay-Z's album 'Everything is Love' to draw from as well. I can't wait to dance to her super-fast rapping verse in 'ApeSh*t' personally,” she said.

Bey Day is always held as close to Bey’s actual birthday as possible. This year, the special night will be Sept. 1, three days before her actual birthday. Francischine said the night’s festivities begin by playing the song that started it all, “Get Me Bodied,” which opens with Beyonce calling out the digits to her birthday that they now celebrate.

Bey Day is a night where everyone feels free to express themselves fully and completely without fear of judgment,” Fancischine said. “We're all here for the same reason: to honor the lasting musical and cultural legacy of our queen.”

The event will begin at 10 p.m. with a “Be Queen Bey” lip-sync contest. After each contestant performs, the audience will pick the winner, who will be crowned with an actual crown and sceptre onstage.

Enjoy what you're reading? Get content from The Alligator delivered to your inbox

“I want attendees to feel that they are as important to the show as the music itself. There would be no Bey Day without the Gainesville BeyHive," Fancischine said.

Francischine said she wanted Bey Day to be a welcoming experience for all who attend, even those who don’t love to dance. To accomplish her goals, she consulted a friend in New York to create dozens of experimental videos that reimagine Bey’s original videos in new and unexpected ways.

"Even if you feel shy about dancing, watching these videos should get you in the mood to move along with Bey,” she said.

For those who have previously attended Bey Day, Francischine said there are some new features for this year. First, the location has changed from the Atlantic to The Wooly due to maxing out capacity size in previous years.

The DJ this year is also new to the Bey Day affair. Brother Eugene, whose real name is Robert Carter and hails from Phoenix, Arizona, has created a custom set of all of Bey’s hits and collaborations along with other artists Beyonce enjoys like Big Freedia and Michael Jackson.

For those feeling shy, Francischine said this event isn’t just for diehard Bey fans and can be enjoyed by everyone.

“Even if people are not that familiar with her body of work, I encourage anyone who loves R&B, soul or hip-hop to come out, because you never know what beat might drop,” she said. “It's a great opportunity to dance the night away.”

 

Support your local paper
Donate Today
The Independent Florida Alligator has been independent of the university since 1971, your donation today could help #SaveStudentNewsrooms. Please consider giving today.

Powered by SNworks Solutions by The State News
All Content © 2024 The Independent Florida Alligator and Campus Communications, Inc.