By SARAH BROACH

Staff Writer

The first Cottingham Back Porch Music Fest of the school year will be held tonight with a variety of music acts, turkey legs and a pig roast.

It will be held at 5:30 p.m. today in the open grassy area between Cottingham Residence Hall and Mitchell Residence Hall. The show, food and drinks are free to all students.

John Lary, a junior history major, is one of the coordinators of the event.

"We goof off with it," Lary said. "We enjoy it because it brings smaller local bands on campus where it's not difficult for students to get to."

Lary said the turkey legs and pig roast are the idea Ryan Borne, Cottingham's hall director and a senior professional aviation major.

"We barbecued last year, and that was good but seemed like something that's always done," Borne said. "I decided to do something original and break the mold this time."

Turkey legs are provided by Aramark, and the department of residential life purchased the pig from Tech Farm.

Numerous acts are slated to perform. Among them are Brittney Maddox, Shannin Watkins, Cazby, 2 O'clock Traffic, Chagrin, The Scotty Rigs and Tribalistic Dayze.

Lary said that the acts scheduled will bring many aspects of music to the show. "We try to get a diverse mix of bands to appeal to a greater crowd," he said. "It is as spread out as we can get it so it appeals to everyone."

Paul King, a sophomore mechanical engineering major, also helps coordinate the music festival. He is looking forward to the acts.

"I'm really excited about 2 O'clock Traffic and Tribalistic Dayze, because I haven't heard them in a few months," King said. "It will be good to see what they've been up to."

The music festival was first held in December 2003. "We decided to put it together because we made a lot of friends who play music," King said. "There's always a shortage of places to play.

"We thought a free show would be good exposure."

The concert was later held in February 2004 and again in April.

Lary said he and King were encouraged to hold the festival again because of the response the first show garnered.

"Most people really enjoyed it, and I think students like it because it gives them something to do right on campus," he said.

Lary also credits the continuation of the music fest to all the help people have given.

"It wouldn't happen at all if Ryan Borne and housing weren't so supportive," Lary said. "Without bands willing to play for free, there would be no show."

Lary said the turnout at each show has ranged.

"We expect from 100 to 150 people to show up," he said.

Lary said they try not to cause problems with the length of their show.

He said, "We shut down at a reasonable enough hour that we don't bug anyone who's trying to study."