The annual Colorado State University RamFest has taken many forms in years past, such as carnivals and comedy shows. However, in recent years, a trend of students voting for a discounted concert on campus formed, and this year’s overwhelming interest was country.

CSU hosted this year’s RamFest April 25 at Moby Arena. Headlining was American country music group Midland, and their opener was local Fort Collins country band Sugar Britches. 

“Midland was our first choice,” said Ashliee Treblik, president of RamEvents and organizer of this year’s event. “I’m really happy that they were able to come out this year. I thought that the event went really, really great.”

Midland formed after meeting at a wedding in 2014 in Dripping Springs, Texas. Since then, the band has produced nine albums and EPs, including their album “On the Rocks,” which debuted their hit song “Drinkin’ Problem.” The band’s witty lyrics and smooth southern country sound have gained them 2.9 million monthly listeners on Spotify and a name for themselves in the country music industry. 

“The thing to say over and over, especially to the CSU community, is how incredible the Fort Collins music scene is, and you don’t realize it unless you really get out.” -AJ Knight, lead drummer for Sugar Britches

The event gained the most attraction from students than ever seen in the past with ticket sales totaling over 3,500. Tickets were sold at $10 for students, $26 for CSU employees and $31 for the public.

With a full stage floor and the audience filling out to the bleachers of the stadium, students at CSU truly took advantage of the live music and danced the night away. People gathered to line and swing dance throughout the sides of the crowd; in the middle was a constant sound of students singing along.

“Great music, great energy and great dancing,” wrote Nani Tomich, president of the Ram Country Dance Club, about her and her club’s experience during the show. “Give us some music, and RCDC will dance anytime and in any place.”

Local Fort Collins band Sugar Britches opened for Midland, matching their southern sound with a little extra honky-tonk to perfectly introduce the upcoming band and get the crowd excited.

“I love Sugar Britches, our opener — they just bring such a great energy, and the fact that they are a local band is really important to us,” Treblik said. “We want to make sure that we are always supporting local artists as well.”

Not only is RamFest a great opportunity for students to come together before finals and graduation, but it also gives a platform to local bands to showcase their music to students who may not know about the extensive local music scene in Fort Collins. 

“The thing to say over and over, especially to the CSU community, is how incredible the Fort Collins music scene is, and you don’t realize it unless you really get out,” said AJ Knight, lead drummer for Sugar Britches. “(CSU has) done a really good job at reaching out to both the touring and local bands to show the music scene.”

Year after year, RamFest has allowed Fort Collins locals to showcase to CSU students the extensive and diverse communities it has to offer as well as embrace new people and spaces equally.

“Next year, I hope that we get even more people to come,” Treblik said. “We are probably going to be doing another concert, which is really exciting. I’m hoping that I can come back after graduation and see a new staff of students get to have the same fun experiences that I did this year.”