Downtown Muncie is preparing for its annual Muncie Gras festival, with the support of local residents and some Ball State University students.
Senior sales and promotion major Matthew Renner became the Ball State promotion coordinator this year and has been in charge of promoting Muncie Gras to the Ball State community.
'Last year I took a promotion class and I met [Heart of the City program manager] Cheryl Crowder,' he said. 'I told her I wanted to help promote downtown, and this year she actually gave me more responsibilities.'
Renner has worked in a downtown business before, but he said this was his first time volunteering for a downtown event.
'It's a lot of fun. I think it's important to get involved in the community,' he said.
Crowder said Ball State students' participation in Downtown Muncie events have been gradually increasing.
She said Heart of the City has been working during the last three years to promote events it thinks will be fun and interesting for students.
Renner said he would like more students to participate in promoting downtown events. This is his last year on campus, but he said he would like new generations to take part in community events.
'I think a lot of people are hesitant to help because they don't know how things will turn out,' he said.
As part of his promotional campaign, Renner has been contacting friends and other Ball State students to help him distribute beads with an invitation to Muncie Gras. He will be at the Scramble Light and other busy areas handing out beads and information about the event.
Other Ball State students have also helped in other areas.
Senior general studies major Sarah Elifritz volunteered at Muncie MusicFest in 2009. She is helping Heart of the City again with sound production at the Muncie Gras, hiring disc jockeys for tents at the event and is also helping put together this year's Spring Fest.
As the event approaches, Elifritz said preparations are going smoothly.
'Because it is a well established event, everything falls into place,' she said. 'Here are people that have helped out before with promotions and other parts, so it has become more of a system.'
Elifritz said she thinks Muncie gras will have a good turn out, despite the differences between this event and Muncie MusicFest.
'This is a 21 and up event, so it will be an older crowd and also crazier, not to mention it will be colder,' she said.
Crowder said downtown events such as Muncie Gras have reached students from other universities as well, and the city expects a larger crowd from around the area to attend.
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