ASUCD Entertainment Council hosts Lawntopia 2026

Lawntopia 2025 headliner Don Toliver performs in the University Credit Union Center at UC Davis on May 8, 2025. (Courtesy of Entertainment Council)

Dominic Fike, Grant Perez and Arlo headlined the concert

On Friday, May 1, 2026, ASUCD Entertainment Council (EC) hosted Lawntopia — the annual spring quarter festival and largest EC event — at the UC Davis Health Stadium, featuring music artists Dominic Fike, grentperez and Arlo, as well as UC Davis student openers OlRazzleDazzlee and The Ken Scotts.

The doors to the stadium opened at 5 p.m., though some students had been waiting in line for hours before. The event designated field access as first-come first-served, so students who arrived earlier in the evening received wristbands to access the football field and get closer to the stage, while the latecomers took to the bleachers.

With over 7,000 students expected to attend, EC ensured that adequate security measures were in place, including thorough security checkpoints upon entering the stadium. Various food trucks and refreshment stands surrounded the stadium, and students steadily flooded into the event, many of them dancing around the field and hanging out with their friends.

“My favorite part of Lawntopia was definitely being with my friends,” Emma Steinmetz, a fourth-year political science major, said. “After the stress of midterms, it was so nice to have a night of fun on campus together and enjoy the music and the atmosphere. Sitting on the grass and eating while watching the openers, and then dancing with everyone at the bleachers was so much fun.”

UC Davis student openers, DJ OlRazzleDazzlee and The Ken Scotts band, first took to the stage, building up student energy while people continued entering the concert. Arlo, a house and garage music producer and DJ with over 1 million monthly Spotify listeners, came up next, bringing his house music life and getting the crowd jumping and dancing to his set.

The next performer, Grant Perez, a 23-year-old Australian singer and songwriter also known as grentperez, headed out shortly after Arlo, lightheartedly interacting with the audience and keeping the energetic buzz alive while also enchanting listeners with his impressive vocals and swoonworthy love songs. Students sang along to his performances, especially with popular songs “Cherry Wine” and “Clementine.”

The headliner, Dominic Fike, is widely known for popular songs like “misses,” “3 Nights” and “Babydoll,” as well as his acting role in season two of the TV show Euphoria. As the final Lawntopia performer, he took the stage around 9 p.m., much to the audience’s excitement. With his unique musical sound, Fike remained immersed in his performances, engaging with the crowd between songs. For many students, his act was the most anticipated performance of the night.

“I was most excited to see Dominic Fike,” Maisie Wong, a second-year data science major, said. “I was a big fan of his music even before his songs became super popular on TikTok, so it was so cool to see him live, especially at a student-run event.”

This year, the event took place at the UC Davis Health Stadium — similar to their fall festival Sunset Fest. However, this location is a change from previous years, as the concert was held at the University Credit Union Center in 2025 and the Memorial Union Quad in 2024. Students discussed enjoying the atmosphere and the space that was available outside this time around.

“I liked how Lawntopia was outside this year,” Stephanie Lopez, a second-year civil engineering major, said. “I really appreciated that it was a first-come first-served basis for lawn tickets versus last year, when you needed to buy floor tickets or balcony tickets. I just think having the lawn was able to give us more space for more students to listen to the music from down below.”

One of the most anticipated UC Davis events of spring quarter, Lawntopia provided many students with a special opportunity to dress up, have fun with their friends and enjoy the live music.

“The atmosphere was amazing,” Wong said. “I was a row behind the barricade, and I appreciated how everyone around me was really hyped. Everyone was singing the songs they knew, and it was overall a great experience.”

Written by: Graciela Tiu — features@theaggie.org