Editor’s Note: This story has been updated to include Kendall Jenkins, the traditions coordinator for university board and the primary planner for the day events of Pantherchella. Previously, the article identified Justin Richards as the only planner.
The event known as Panther Bash got a full makeover this year. With a name change, new activities and a headliner, Panther Bash has become Pantherchella.
Graduate assistant Justin Richards, who works in the student life office, alongside sophomore early childhood education major Kendall Jenkins, traditions coordinator for the university board, made it their mission to make the annual end-of-the-year celebration a once-in-a-lifetime experience for students.
With preparations starting near the start of the second semester, Richards and Eastern’s university board have been at work orchestrating the annual event.
“We had asked students via Instagram as well as through a survey on what would they like to see theme wise, and we got several people who wanted a concert,” Richards said. “A lot of people like airbrush, and so we’re like, “Ok, why don’t we take the best of each of these and try to combine it?”
The festival was broken down into two events: a day party full of activities that went from 3-6 p.m. and a concert from 8-10.
While Richards coordinated the concert in the evening, Jenkins was the primary planner the day event, getting a caricature artist, food trucks and more. Additionally, Jenkins came up with the theme.
“For our 3 to 6 event, we really wanted to focus on novelty, make. and take, kind of like you would see at a music festival and kind of like what you would see at Coachella with different vendors,” said Richards. “They wanna have food trucks. Okay? We have food, we have flower crowns, sunglasses and airbrush. So, all of that adds up to giving a little bit of a Coachella-esque vibe without us having to have to be at Coachella.”
With macramé, tie dye, mocktails, body painting caricatures, henna and glitter tattoos, the festival drew in a large crowd of students filling up the University Ballroom and the Martin Luther King University Union Bridge.
The early 2000’s music playing in the background of the festival was a way to get students in the mood for the concert later.
Students like sophomore psychology major Frannie Harris were excited to visit the different venders and leave with something new.
“I’m ready to get a henna tattoo; I’m excited. And then we’re all gonna get mocktails, so that’s exciting too,” she said.
Senior health administration major Daisha Mitchell had an exciting time at the event being able to socialize, hang out with friends and make lasting memories.
“I had a wonderful time at Pantherchella,” Mitchell said. “It was so fun seeing everybody smile and having a good time. The vendors were wonderful. I ended up getting a henna tattoo, I got my face painted and the cookies were just delicious.
Her favorite part was seeing the campus come together to have a fun time.
“I think that being able to socialize on Eastern’s campus is just one of the many wonders that Eastern Illinois University has,” she said. “Everybody is so friendly and just fun loving, and I think that if you didn’t come to Pantherchella, then you didn’t have a good day that day.”
Alexis Moore-Jones can be reached at 581-2812 or at admoorejones@eiu.edu.
