Over 17,000 Sun Devils flocked to Mountain America Stadium to experience rapper Flo Milli headline InfernoFest on Tuesday night.
InfernoFest is the last and largest Welcome Week event before the school year. The festival is an opportunity to expose freshmen to ASU, campus organizations and the community.
"We've built it up over the last week where we've had welcome events and (InfernoFest is) the final piece of the puzzle before you actually start college," said Ansh Puthran, a member of the Programming and Activities Board's InfernoFest planning committee and a senior studying data science.
After an introduction to the University, a musical artist performs for the exclusively ASU crowd. Years past have included rappers and singers such as The Wallows, Jack Harlow and Kesha.
This year was the most attended InfernoFest, according to PAB president Ivan Losev, a senior studying business. Losev said in an email that of the approximately 17,710 students at the event, 13,500 were freshmen.
Freshmen attending the event were excited about the ASU "vibe," said Alyssa Balvodino, a freshman studying community health. This was her first time on the Tempe campus since moving into the Downtown dorms.
"You get to meet a lot of new people," Balvodino said. "We had all the welcome events in our own campus and then we all came to Tempe. (InfernoFest) shows you a little more spirit for the school too."
InfernoFest's planning committee, mainly made up of members of PAB and advisors, chose Flo Milli as this year's artist due to her increase in popularity and the high demand for a rapper to headline InfernoFest, Losev said in an email.
"I think that this year Flo Milli is a great choice," said Tyler Tannenbaum, a junior studying computer science. "It's free and it's nice hanging out with my friends and having fun. It's just a great time with a bunch of fun people."
Others take the opportunity of InfernoFest to meet new people and explore the Tempe campus.
"I think it's nice to come and feel like a big group of people and get out," said Irene Gomez, a freshman studying medical studies. "I've been in my room all week."
Though InfernoFest is coordinated as an introduction for freshmen, upperclassmen are welcome to watch the ending performance.
"I get to spend time with my friends and I always love going to events with friends," said Isabella Cohen, a junior studying sustainability. "ASU throws the best parties."
Cohen said she wished for more well-known and versatile artists like Charlie Puth and Sabrina Carpenter but attended the event regardless. Though she was not a listener of Flo Milli beforehand, she still had a great time at InfernoFest.
"My favorite part about the concert was being with friends and enjoying her music," Cohen said. "I've never heard her before but she did an amazing job."
Like Cohen, Balvodino said it's a great way to get out of the dorm room and showcase what ASU is all about. InfernoFest also helped her see the scale of the University and the freshmen class.
Unlike InfernoFest from past years, Puthran said this is the first year the freshmen are moved into the student section of the football stadium which created a better view to see the stage.
"We've been doing this for so many years," Puthran said. "It's a great tradition as well and we have a culture at the end of it. It's a great way to kick up the year and everybody's hyped for it."
Edited by Senna James, Sophia Braccio and Natalia Jarrett
Reach the reporter at glmcfar1@asu.edu and follow @ginia_mcfarland on X.
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Ginia is a junior studying journalism and mass communication with a minor in criminology. This is her third semester with The State Press. She has also worked at Arizona Capital Times and KTAR News.
