On Saturday, the Red Flash Pep Band will host its annual Side-by-Side Event at the Stokes Athletics Center.

The band will host more than 50 area high school students. These students will play alongside SFU pep band members at Saturday’s basketball doubleheader versus Long Island-Brooklyn.

The Red Flash men host the Blackbirds at 1 p.m. SFU’s women’s team takes on LIU-Brooklyn at 4 p.m.

“This is a great opportunity for high school students to be on campus and see what SFU has to offer,” said University Director of Bands Dan Atwood.

‘’It is fun to interact with high school kids and show them that the college atmosphere can be really fun,” said pep band member Randee McGee.

This is the second time McGee will participate in the side-by-side event.

Last year, the band hosted around 45 high school students at the event. It affords SFU students the opportunity to interact with prospective band members from area high schools.

“I actually participated in the side-by-side before attending Saint Francis,” said band member Payton Huber.

“It really showed me how much fun the band program was, and ended up being a big part of why I decided to come here in the first place.”