As a Purdue student, a lot of my time is spent in my apartment either doing class work or sleeping. Whenever it arises, I always jump at the opportunity to get out and explore the many different things West Lafayette has to offer. However, one thing that I had never really done before was attend any type of local festival. When I heard about the Starry Night Festival, I initially had no idea what it was; in fact, I thought it was an event entirely dedicated to that famous Van Gogh painting. Not only was I completely incorrect, I had an amazing night out with my roommates and was able to add another happy memory to my college experience.

Purdue University Student, Kyle Graham shares this blog. This blog is part of a series of articles submitted to Visit Lafayette-West Lafayette through a cooperation with a 400-level travel writing class at Purdue University.

For those who don’t know, Starry Night is a yearly festival hosted by Campus House and Greyhouse Coffee in West Lafayette. For over 15 years, Starry Night has attracted thousands of people to a night of music, food, and friends. Admission is free; the roads are closed off and the streets are lined with local vendors, live music, food trucks, and string lights that illuminate the entire festival. These are a few things I did on my first visit:

Try Out The Local Foods

Most people who have met me know that I’ll eat pretty much anything you put right in front of me. Each year, there are plenty of local food options to choose from. On my visit, I waited in line for the “EMT: Emergency Munchie Truck.” What caught my attention was not only the variety of grilled cheese sandwiches, but the fact that they were served on waffles instead of regular bread. It was totally worth the wait. The waffles were soft and the cheese was, well, “cheesy.” However, I was still hungry, so I also stopped at another stand and got myself a hot pretzel. Hot pretzels always hit the spot, right?

Shop Around the Local Vendors

A strong majority of the booths at Starry Night are local vendors selling a plethora of different goods. When I say plethora, I really mean it. On my visit, one booth I walked past was selling clothes. Next to it, there was a booth selling candies. Next to that one, they were selling lamps. One of the most interesting booths I saw was one selling beer taps and bottle openers made out of billiard balls and golf clubs. While it seemed random, I liked how Starry Night gave all of these local vendors a chance to get noticed by the attendees and sell their various goods.

Enjoy the Live Music Throughout the Night

I absolutely love live outdoor music, and this is a key component of this festival. Each year, stages feature artists and bands rotating about every hour, so there is always something new to listen to. I stopped by one of the stages for a couple minutes and enjoyed an acoustic guitar performance. The constant variety of music is always something to appreciate at local festivals like this.

Enjoy The Vibe

To me, one of the most important things in life is to simply “take in the moment.” Starry Night was without a doubt one of those times. Walking around, seeing the sights, and looking at all of the people having a great time is something in itself. One of the best ways to do this is finding a vantage point. My roommates and I, like many others, went to the top level of a nearby garage and simply stood by and watched the crowds. It was a nice break from the sea of people below.

Overall, I had a really great time with my friends here. It was a fun, local event I didn’t even know happened here in West Lafayette, and I’m almost sorry that I waited until now to go. I didn’t get to do everything the festival had to offer, but that just means I’ll have to come back next year and fix that!

To make sure you don’t miss out on fun and unique things happening in our neck of the woods, check out the Home of Purdue blog!