Students can expect fun pre-show activities, a variety of hand-selected performers and gluten-free pumpkin pie for those with dietary restrictions at Punk ‘n Pie this year. The talent show will kick off Biola Weekend on Friday, Oct. 25 in Chase Gymnasium at 7:30 p.m.

GLUTEN-FREE TREATS

Feedback from students about last year’s show included requests for gluten-free options to be made available to students who suffer from an intolerance to gluten, said Jennifer Essig, senior accounting major and AS vice president of events and programming.

A variety of talent acts — including musicians, singers and dancers, as well as a few new sets — await students in this year’s lineup, Essig said.

STAND-UP COMEDY ACT

“This year we’ll have some stand-up comedy, which is new. I don’t think we’ve had stand-up comedy in the last couple years,” she added.

Junior communication studies major Mark Nesbitt is participating in Punk 'n Pie for the first time and is one of this year’s stand-up comedian acts. Nesbitt said that he is excited to share his passion with the Biola community.

“It’s my first time doing stand-up. It’s always been a dream of mine, so I’m kind of excited … to make people laugh, hopefully. It’s more just an opportunity for me to kind of take a chance at something I love in a community that I love,” Nesbitt said.

INVITING ALUMNI AND PARENTS

Punk 'n Pie is continuing its partnership with Biola Weekend for the second year, Essig said. Biola Weekend invites Biola alumni, families and friends to visit the campus and attend a variety of events and social activities.

“They believe that Punk 'n Pie showcases the best of Biola in terms of student talent and diversity of talent,” Essig said. “We have Mock Rock and stuff, which is kind of like a talent show, but that’s strictly dance, and so I think it’s cool … to allow students who might not be dancers or singers but still have a really cool, unique talent to get to be a part of Punk 'n Pie.”

Biola Weekend is also partnering with this event to provide a pre-show meal for students, staff, parents, alumni and visitors waiting in line outside of the gym doors, Essig explained. The Caf will be providing “backward breakfast” — or breakfast for dinner — outside in the Commons breezeway area.

Students are encouraged to pick up food as they wait, and there will also be a photo booth for students to take pictures before the show, Essig said. She also explained that this year, there will be two separate lines for crowd-control purposes: one line for students and another for parents, alumni and family.

“Students can sit with their families if they want, but we’re going to have two distinct lines … because it is Biola Weekend, we do want to have some space for parents and family members,” Essig said.

Due to a maximum capacity limit, it is unlikely that everyone who attends Punk 'n Pie will be able to watch from inside the gym, Essig said. However, like last year there will be overflow sites with large screens and refreshments, one of those alternate locations being the Fireplace Pavilion.