By Rebecca Wyatt, OU Web Writer

Nearly 200 people spent July 23 soaking up the sun and having fun at Oakland University’s first Family Fun Festival, hosted by OU’s Alumni Association (OUAA) and Oakland County Parks and Recreation. OU alumni, students, faculty, staff and those from the surrounding area came together for an afternoon of games, contests, food, prizes and fun.

“Overall we were very please with what people thought of the event. People told us they enjoyed the activities and everyone seemed to have a good time,” said Erin Czelada, assistant director of the OUAA.

All OU community members were invited to attend the festival for food, inflatable games, giveaways, face painting and coloring contests. Local radio station WYCD-FM hosted the Picnic Olympics, which included sack races, a balloon toss, hoola-hoop contests and more on OU’s lower athletic fields. Along with the family focused activities, campus tours also were available.

Besides WYCD, local radio stations WRIF, WDTJ, 89X Radio, WKRK and DOUG FM, handed out freebies, registered people for prizes including concert tickets and sport team jerseys, and brought food and drink samples.

Czelada said the turnout was encouraging for the first-ever festival, and the OUAA is aiming for larger crowds and more activities at future Fun Festivals, which she hopes the OUAA will be able to hold every year.