Jimmy Fallon, Jason Aldean to Headline Oklahoma State's Orange Peel 2009

Friday, August 28, 2009

(Stillwater, OK  August 28, 2009) -  Jimmy Fallon, comedian and late night talk show host, and country music rocker Jason Aldean will headine Oklahoma State University’s Orange Peel festival in Stillwater on Saturday, Oct. 3, in Gallagher-Iba Arena.

Tickets are available online at shopokstate.com, by telephone at (877) OSU-PEEL, and at the Student Union Bookstore.

Orange Peel is a concert and pep rally organized by selected student leaders each year to provide the OSU family with national and local headline entertainment. Since its inception, more than 200,000 people have attended Orange Peel. It is now the largest student produced and student run event in the country, with almost 200 students contributing to the annual program.

“Saturday Night Live” alumnus Fallon, known for his dead-on impressions of Jerry Seinfield, John Travolta, Adam Sandler and Justin Timberlake, was recently tapped by NBC as the replacement for Conan O’Brien on “Late Night,” which is also produced by Lorne Michaels.

Country star Aldean, a native of Georgia, sold more than two million copies of his first two albums, hitting the top of the charts with five hits. His third album hit the stores in April. His album “Wide Open” went gold, and his song “Big Green Tractor” is a radio and retail hit.

“The Executive Team and its student committees are incredibly excited about this line-up,” said Kristen Kenaga, executive director and Enid early childhood education senior.

This year marks the second Orange Peel production to be held indoors, so weather will not be a factor for the show.           

The philanthropy organization that has been selected to benefit from this year’s Orange Peel is the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. “The only support this foundation receives is the money it raises,” Kenaga said. “We know that they are very close to finding a cure and would love to see this happen in our lifetime.”

During its tenure, Orange Peel has raised more than $200,000 for various philanthropy organizations through donations collected at the event and during “Feel the Peel” week, set this year for Sept. 28-Oct. 3. A major source of donations is the annual “chow-down” event that takes place the week before the show. Local restaurants pledge to donate a percentage of their sales or lump sum to benefit the philanthropy organization. Interested businesses are encouraged to visit the Orange Peel Web site for more information.

Doors open at 6 p.m. with the show beginning at 7 p.m. All tickets are $42 each and are reserved seating.

For more information on Orange Peel, you can visit the Orange Peel Web site at http://union.okstate.edu/OrangePeel/ or call Orange Peel at 580-541-5209.