Everywhere students look on Missouri Southern’s campus there seems to be advertisements for Schwagfest.

It is written in chalk in front of most of the buildings on campus, there are flyers everywhere, and many Southern students are talking about the event. But some students don’t even know why it is happening, other than that it is an excuse to listen to live music on campus.

“I heard a lot of professors talking about how much they would like it,” said Sarah Jones, secondary education major.

Jones said she wasn’t exactly sure what the Schwag was, but she knew why the band was coming.

“They believe in peace and taking care of the earth,” she said. “It’s appropriate for Earth Day.”

Other students only heard about the event through the chalk drawings on the sidewalks.

“It’s a very popular band,” said Dwayne Mactavious, sophomore graphic design major. “I figured it’s an Earth Day event they named the Schwag. So, I’m interested to hear what they sound like.”

Schwagfest is meant to be a preview for Earth Day, which will be on Friday.

The events will start at 10 a.m. and go until 2 p.m. for those students who didn’t attend the night before.

There will be booths with information about earth day and ways that everyone can help the environment individually.

The events are meant to gather in students.

“They’ll get a crowd to go and be able to spread more information than just a seminar,” Mactavious said.

There will also be free tie-dye T-shirts and free mugs given away on Earth Day. The mugs can be used in the Lion’s Den and at University Java.

The mugs are meant to promote recycling throughout the campus instead of students constantly using and throwing away disposable cups. This way, students can use the same mug over and over again for the environment.

For the last 10 years Dr. Ann Marlowe, professor of English and philosophy, has celebrated with some kind of event on Earth Day.

However, this year she is holding back. Marlowe said she started the events to involve students and to promote the University, but now there are so many student activities for Earth Day this year, she isn’t going to do anything.

Marlowe does plan to have a big celebration for Earth Day in 2007 because that will be the 35th anniversary of the founding of Earth Day.

The festivities are open and free to all Southern students and faculty.