From 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday the Recreation Center will be hosting its fourth annual Rec Fest showcasing the center’s three facilities: the Rec Center, the Chick Evans Field House and the Outdoor Adventure Resource Center.

The Rec center is free for students enrolled in classes, offering a space to workout and take part in nutrition programs as well as recreational activities like racquetball, basketball, volleyball and group fitness classes.

The events will take place outside the NIU Adventure Center, on the fields west of the Recreation Center and at the Outdoor Recreation Sports Complex.

Attendees can join competitive games including a home run derby, a bags tournament, and hourly kickball matches starting at 6 p.m. Rec Fest will also feature a fitness competition with a pull-up bar challenge and a flexed arm hang.

Tiffany Morris, the Associate Director of Business said the effort is about making students aware of the resources available to them.

“Our (NIU’s) enrollment went up 4.3%, so we have a bunch of freshmen that are coming, who may not know that we also have the outdoor sports rec center.,” Morris said. “So, it’s to pretty much give the exposure to let people know that we have more than one facility.”

In addition, nutrition demonstrations will round out the evening’s activities.

Students can sign up for both the kickball game and the bags tournament on IM Leagues.  Other games that attendees can take part in are spikeball, frisbee golf putt and ladder golf.

There will also be food vendors. Be sure to grab a free taco from Burritoville’s food truck and a s’more — supplied by the Outdoor Adventures Center — when the sun has fully set, to experience the campfire that will be taking place.

Admission is free and open to NIU students. For more information, head to the event’s page on Huskie Hub.