Swayed Pines returns for second year

After the high attendance of last year’s event, Swayed Pines came back for yet another variety show.

Last Saturday evening, the Swayed Pines Variety Show brought together students and community members alike. Sponsored by the Peer Resource Program (PRP), the event is in its second consecutive year post-COVID.

Bad Habit Brewing Company hosted the event, and performers utilized their outdoor pavilion to put on a show that was on display for all of St. Joe. The patio was packed with students, families and friends who had spent the day celebrating homecoming and dedicated their evening to supporting local artists.

Senior Zachary Staver loves the arts, and he was excited about another year of Swayed Pines. As a repeat coordinator and performer, one of his missions was to create something versatile that represented the community’s talents and interests. He views Swayed Pines as something that provides opportunities for others, of which this was definitely a year to remember.

“It was worth all the stress to hear just one person say ‘my mom loved it,’” Staver said.

As discussed in The Record’s article on Swayed Pines last year, this event is the brainchild of Staver and 2023 graudate Sam Rengo. With Rengo graduated, Staver made it a priority this year to have a larger range of student involvement to keep the tradition going strong.

He emphasized his push to engage underclassmen, giving a special shout-out to the help he received from first-year Graham Imholte. Staver also touched on how he approached the planning process with certain ideas in mind; however, as the plans developed.

“[I] adopted the idea of no comparison [to last year’s event] and I’m happy it turned out to be really great,” Staver said.

Staver also expressed his gratitude at the opportunity to increase PRP’s involvement with the event. While Swayed Pines previously operated without direct affiliation with a campus group, Staver noted that it’s extremely beneficial to have the backup of an organization.

“PRP has a reputation of doing really cool things,” Staver said.

One of the key ways that the event adapted, specifically after the turnout of last year. Staver felt relieved to have access to a resource that allowed him to recruit volunteers and ensure that everything would run smoothly.

There were various styles of performances at Swayed Pines, featuring campus groups such as Attention Starved Children (ASC) and CSBeats, as well as many independent artists.

SJU junior Ethan Riddle, a member of ASC, participated in both years of Swayed Pines. This year’s event left him feeling immense support for the arts from the St. Joseph community, which stemmed from the interest of the crowd—especially on a Johnnie game day.

“I was intrigued to see the juxtaposition of a homecoming football game and a concert at a relaxed, funky brewery,” Riddle said.

Riddle particularly values the “variety” aspect of this show.

“You can see live music at Brother Willie’s and at the bars, but you don’t really get to experience a poetry reading in those kinds of places,” Riddle said.

He hopes that these types of events continue to grow because they create a space for the community to be inspired by the talents of its members. He appreciates that, especially with music, local artists have outlets like Swayed Pines to showcase their talets. When asked about his dream for the future of Swayed Pines, Staver kept it simple.

“My dream is that, a year from now, I’ll see a flyer circling around on social media,” he said. “I don’t care if I can attend or who’s performing—I just want to see the proof that I left a good legacy here.”