Lilly Andrews, Special to The Denisonian–

Denison’s University Programming Council (UPC) hosted its annual Denison Day concert – better known as D-Day – on Sept. 20. The evening began with student performances, including dances from IDM and DKDG, before pop artist Lindsey Lomis took the stage as the opener.

“I liked how it was just her singing and playing the guitar. She was very talented, and I would listen to her music again,” said first-year Meredith Havre. 

After Lomis’ set came headliner and Grammy-winning artist Daya, known for songs like “Hide Away,” “Don’t Let Me Down” and “Sit Still, Look Pretty.” Daya blew up in popularity after dropping “Hide Away”. Many were charmed by the nostalgic quality of Daya’s music.

“Daya was amazing. I didn’t know all the songs, but it was quite the performance. The backup dancers made it a lot more entertaining,” said Havre. 

“The best song of the night was definitely ‘Don’t Let Me Down.’ I haven’t heard it in so long, but it was awesome to experience it live.”

Although the night itself was a success, the planning process was complicated. UPC Executive Director Keesha Joseph ‘26 offered insight into the organization of this year’s Denison Day (D-Day). 

“We actually started super early over the summer. Even as early as June or July … [Typically] we make a list of artists, and we see what we want the vibe to be like on campus. Obviously, plans change. We had initially an artist early on, at the end of July—but they had to back out at the last minute. So we were like, ‘OK, we can recover.’ And we did recover. So we got a second artist, and unfortunately, recently, they also backed out. [Only then] were we able to get [Daya],” Joseph said. 

UPC also had to organize the event’s menu as well as coordinate the set up. Traditional Events Operations Director of UPC, Jenny Nguyen ‘27, explained the process. 

“I am working with the team on planning, from creating a diverse menu so everyone can enjoy the food, to deciding where everything will be placed on campus … My favorite part is working on the menu with Harvest. I love food, and I know people love good food too!” Nguyen said.

This year’s menu included a variety of foods, like mini corn dogs, Korean bulgogi beef and fried chicken. Joseph said the menu’s emphasis on diversity while also staying true to D-Day’s roots. 

“My advisor was looking through the Denison archives … She told me there was an article written in The Bullsheet that was like, ‘Students are seeing large trucks transporting fried chicken; D-Day must be coming.’ So it used to be a huge thing, and we’re trying to bring that back—those little aspects. We worked with Harvest on the menu, and while we’re making it a more international-themed base to represent all the student body on campus, we included the fried chicken in it,” Joseph said. 

Denison Day takes place each fall and welcomes artists from off-campus as well as showcases performances of groups like DKDG, IDM, student bands, and others, as well as food.