Saturday, April 14, will be a "Big Day" on the UNC Asheville campus.

UNC Asheville's Student Global AIDS Campaign (SGAC) and Hispanic Outreach for Learning and Awareness (HOLA) have organized The Big Day -- featuring music, games, silent auction and rummage sale -- to benefit the Amani Children's Foundation, which assists African children orphaned by AIDS. The festivities will wrap up with performances by Yo Momma's Big Fat Booty Band and Santino.

The Big Day kicks off at 1 p.m. on UNC Asheville's Quad (rain location is the Highsmith University Union). In addition to the games, silent auction and rummage sale, music will be provided throughout the day by the UNC Asheville bluegrass band, Bare Down Easy; the jazz trio, Ballerman; and UNC Asheville's women's a cappella group, All Girls' Staff. Headliners Yo Mama’s Big Fat Booty Band and Santino will take center stage at 6 p.m.

The Big Day is free and open to the public. All proceeds from donations, the silent auction and the rummage sale will benefit the Amani Children’s Foundation.

"Our intention is to make The Big Day an annual event to raise awareness about and money for children who have lost their parents to AIDS," said UNC Asheville senior and SGAC President John Stephens. "To date, more than 15 million children have been orphaned by AIDS in Africa. By the year 2010, the U.N. predicts that number will exceed 20 million."

Stephens said this event has turned into a campus-wide effort. "Several student organizations have banded together to make this day possible, lending not only money but many hours of time to make The Big Day a reality."

Event headliner Yo Mama’s Big Fat Booty Band is a seven-member band playing laid-back grooves and heavy backbeats to create a multi-genre blend that can best be described as "bounce music." By adding colorful costumes and a high-energy stage show, the band ensures that the entire audience is on its feet and dancing. Yo Mama’s Big Fat Booty Band, which has played to crowds throughout the Southeast, just released its newest CD "Now You Know."

Also slated to take The Big Day stage is Santino. After fronting Peru’s biggest progressive rock band, Fragil, Santino moved to the U.S. and quickly made a name in the music industry. His songs, which are a combination of Latin rock and world beats, have appeared in films such as "War of the Worlds," "Nacho Libre" and "Employee of the Month" as well as in popular television shows. Santino's debut CD, "Indiocumentado," will be released this spring.

For more information, call student event organizers John Stephens at 336/558-7857 or Alejandra Ulrey at 828/337-7353.