MIAMI — Labor Day weekend is here and for Florida A&M students this means two things: football season is back and a four-day weekend.
In May, FAMU President Larry Robison announced at a press conference the revival of the Orange Blossom Classic in Miami Gardens.
During the press conference Robinson said that the OBC “marks our return to an area that has been a fertile ground for Florida A&M University.”
He also said “this classic represents a tremendous opportunity, not just for Miami Gardens and South Florida, but for both institutions.”
Following the announcement students took to Twitter to express their enthusiasm for the rival game with Jackson State. However, the game was not the only thing students were thrilled about.
MiamiBoyzWeekend Pool Party was another reason for students to make the trip down south for Labor Day.
Thirteen years ago MBW was started in Tallahassee, just to “add a little flavor to the weekend,” said Floyd Bostic, founder of NOCROWDCONTROL aka Wolfpack aka OnlyThePack, alongside DJ Loosekid, Art Klub, T.O.E, and the Gerald Lewis Foundation. They started this weekend in hopes of bringing Miami to Tallahassee.
For those who had never experienced Miami culture before, this was a sneak peak into the lives of those from there.
Because this was just a small thing when it started, Bostic says that he did not imagine it would blossom into this big of a weekend.
In his eyes he was “just having fun and wanted to throw a pool party.”
Now, it is one of the most popular events to come to Tallahassee.
MiamiBoyzWeekend, the organization which includes FAMU alumnus DJ Loosekid, has been bringing the city of Miami to Tallahassee for more than a decade.
“First show honestly started at a residential pool in Tallahassee, which then turned into a block party,” Loosekid said.
DJ Loosekid, who is also the official DJ for Plies, has been a staple in the FAMU community since graduating. He did not imagine it would still be going strong this many years later.
Contrary to popular belief, “this weekend was not initially started to make a profit, we just wanted to have fun and give Tallahassee a taste of Miami,” Loosekid said.
For FAMU alumna Cayla McBride, “MBW has always been the highlight of Labor Day for me.”
McBride ,who is visiting Miami for the Orange Blossom Classic, has gone to this pool party every year since coming to Florida A&M.
Naomi Frazier, a first-time go-er, said this weekend was a complete blast.
“This was my first time attending MBW and I am excited to come back next year,” Frazier said.
When asked about what excited her the most, Frazier said, “throughout the weekend, being around people that like to enjoy themselves, whether it’s eating, dancing or just having fun is the most exciting thing.”
A weekend full of partying, socializing and having fun comes with risks. However, MBW organization takes extra security precautions to make sure this is always a safe and successful event.
“A lot of preplanning security barricades and police layouts were made for this event,” Bostic said.
To keep people safe is one of the main priorities for this group. They take pride in not having fights or shootouts at their events.
“We hire extra security, more police and try to limit room for error,” Loosekid said.
MBW has and continues to be a successful event for FAMU students, Miami natives and the Tallahassee community.
“Stay tuned for more events to come from NOCROWDCONTROL,” Bostic said.