Kent State University has canceled an annual arts festival scheduled for Saturday and is closing some facilities in advance of a planned weekend gun march.
Kent State University has canceled the Kent Creativity Festival,co-hosted with the city of Kent.
The university has also announced it's closing the Kent State Library and the student center following increased security concerns over an on-campus open-carry walk.
The event has recieved pushback from some in the Kent State community. Black United Students, a student organization on campus, has announced it will be holding a counter-protest, according to Kentwired.
Theodore Roosevelt High School Band Director John Roebke says he canceled the band's scheduled festival performance due to worries from parents and uncertainty over the walk.
University officials issued a statement that they were also canceling the festival because of reduced participation from vendors. They did not comment on the band’s decision not to perform.
The organizer of the open-carry walk says their goal is to normalize firearms on campus.
