Treefort Music Festival is right around the corner, and if you’re a new Boise State student curious about what the festival is like, or a returning attendee excited to experience it again, College Night will give you your first taste.
On Wednesday, March 11, at Shrine Social Club, the 18+ College Night event will feature several local artists ahead of the actual festival, including DJs like Nofo, Charlie Tango and Boise State duo Who Let Jack ‘N Zoe Out.
The night is designed as a preview of the main festival, giving students a chance to step into the scene ahead of Treefort, which will take place March 25 through the 29.
There is a major incentive for students to attend College Night and arrive early: The first 100 students through the door will receive a free one-day Main Stage ticket to the festival. For organizers, the ticket giveaway isn’t just a fun perk, but one of the main purposes for the event.
“A lot of students don’t want to go to the festival because it can be expensive to attend,” said Natalie Rivera, a student employee helping run the event. “This is a great opportunity for them to get that experience without the high cost.”
Rivera said planning for the event began months ago, with the team focused on creating an experience tailored to Boise State Students. She worked closely with Heather Lyle, director of the Office of University Events, to create a lineup reflective of the campus community.
That student-first approach led to the inclusion of Who Let Jack ‘N Zoe Out, a DJ duo made up of Jack Vuturo and Zoe Mogavero. The two met during their freshman year and started performing together soon after.
“It just happened naturally,” Vuturo said. “I knew how to DJ a little bit, and Zoe was super interested in learning, and then it just kind of spiraled from there.”
Their partnership grew out of casual collaboration into regular performances at campus events, local venues and even weddings. That variety has shaped how they approach their sets, teaching them how to read different crowds while still staying true to their own style.
“We don’t usually have a specific plan when we perform,” Mogavero said. “If we play a song and notice people are enjoying it, then we just try to keep that vibe.”
Rivera said that kind of student-driven energy was exactly what organizers wanted the event to highlight. The team reached out across campus, connecting with both current students and alumni to create a lineup rooted in the university community.
“This year [Lyle] thought it’d be a fun idea for us to do something even bigger to get college students excited about Treefort,” Rivera said. “We wanted to make an event that’s primarily catered to BSU students.”
For Who Let Jack ‘N Zoe Out, College Night reflects the same campus connections that helped the duo get started.
“BSU has given us a lot of different communities to DJ for,” Vuturo said. “We got connected with the Ski and Board Club, we’ve played events for the Honors College and we’ve been able to find these little pockets on campus where we can share our music with other students.”
That experience playing for their peers is part of what makes this night meaningful for the duo.
“We play a lot of college events, but it’s cool to have a night that’s entirely for students,” Mogavero said. “Everyone’s just there to have fun.”
Alongside Who Let Jack ‘N Zoe Out, the night will feature sets from DJs Nofo and Charlie Tango, offering a range of sounds across Boise’s local scene.
Tickets for students start at $7 and can be purchased through the DICE app, making the event one of the most affordable ways to get involved with Treefort.
