By Rebecca Sirull, Inside Editor

Many college students have heard the term “Sunday Funday,” but now Faneuil Hall is giving it a meaning you can tell your parents. Every Sunday in the month of September, Faneuil Hall Marketplace will host a variety of performers from local colleges in a series of free events geared toward students. The performances will take place from 12 – 4 p.m., and will include music, theatre and improv groups.

One of the main goals in creating Sunday Fundays was to draw students to the marketplace and pique interest in the history of Faneuil Hall, according to Ed Hurley, Head of Events & Marketing at Faneuil Hall Marketplace. Not only is it a destination for students who are new to Boston and looking to explore, but it can also provide entertainment for students who have lived in the city for years.

“We would like students who are new to Boston to discover us and see that it’s a great place to come and hang out, to eat, to shop, that kind of thing,” Hurley said. “And for those who are familiar with Boston, to give them a chance to come back and just enjoy some of the entertainment.”

This is also a chance for students to show off their school pride, with free koozies for anyone wearing college apparel or presenting a college ID. They can come support performers from their own school and learn more about groups from other colleges in the area, like Berklee College of Music, Boston University, Emmanuel College and Emerson College.

“Folks want to come see their own and it’s with their own school,” Hurley said. “A bunch of their friends are in these bands and it gives them a showcase for these people who maybe haven’t played to this general an audience before, and so it gets them more exposure for the band itself as well.”

The first installment in the series was on Sunday, Sept. 7 featuring musician Alex Navarro, known as Free Alley, from Boston College. While he also works with a full band, he played solo for his Sunday Funday performance. After playing at Faneuil Hall throughout the summer, Navarro was eager to continue his involvement through the Sunday Funday program.

“My favorite part is when people listen and enjoy it,” Navarro, a senior business major, said.

Organizers at Faneuil Hall thought September would be a good time to hold the event, as it would also serve as a way to reacquaint students with the area as they head back to Boston for school.

“Faneuil Hall Marketplace is excited to welcome back college students to Boston with this fun series of events,” Carol Troxell, President at Faneuil Hall Marketplace Merchants Association, said in a press release on Sept. 2. “Students can come to the Marketplace, get great deals on back to school shopping, and cheer on their colleges’ entertainment groups! Bring your classmates and show your school spirit!”

Visit the Faneuil Hall website for a full list of the month’s performers.

Photo courtesy Creative Commons, Flicker, 6sn7