Chris Howdyshell and Mariana Bowling, both members of Red River Rollercoaster, enjoy some time together after they performed at last year’s Block Party. File Photo

The party's moving downtown.

The Block Party in the 'Burg, a mixer for incoming college students in Harrisonburg's downtown, is back for a third round.

The party rocks from 4 to 8 p.m. on Sept. 7 at Court Square.

The night's events include free food, eating contests, walking tours of downtown and performances by The Greg Ward Project and Midnight Spaghetti and the Chocolate G-Strings.

That weekend also coincides with the season's last Fridays on the Square, featuring an outdoor showing of "Napoleon Dynamite," and First Fridays, when businesses stay open late.

This year, the party moves from Saturday afternoon to Friday night. Officials wanted to nix competition with sleep and football, both popular Saturday afternoon activities for the college population, said Alexis Morehouse, promotions manager for Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance, which is hosting the event.

"We found out that students were still sleeping at 12," Morehouse said. But by Friday night, "they've already been up, they're done with class, they're looking for free dinner."

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Last year, about 1,000 students descended on Court Square despite stormy conditions, Morehouse said.

"It's a good testament that kids want to come down," she said.

The event targets James Madison University, less than a mile from downtown, and Eastern Mennonite University, a little more than two miles away.

The program was started after HDR received surveys saying that many students weren't aware of Harrisonburg's downtown until their junior or senior years.

That was the case for Bria Gardner, 21, a senior at JMU.

She started discovering downtown at the end of her freshman year, but it wasn't until she was a junior that she realized all of its offerings.
Now she's volunteering with the block party to help other students learn about downtown more quickly.

"We want our first-year students, as well as our transfer students, to be able to enjoy downtown Harrisonburg," she said. "I know that a lot of upperclassmen say they wish they would have known this was here earlier."

At EMU, the block party is a required event for freshmen. 

"We want them to know what the local community looks like, who makes it up, what's the history of this place, so that they can feel some connection to the local context," said Deanna Durham, who has helped coordinate the event at EMU.

The university is expecting about 200 of their students to attend.

Not only does the party let students know what there is downtown, it's a boost for business owners, Morehouse said.

It allows new shops, like La De Da and the Earth and Tea Café, to introduce themselves, she said, while reacquainting students with some businesses that have changed. Calhoun's is now Cally's, and the Daily Grind is now Old Dominion Coffee Co. and Café. 

The walking tours, showcasing local businesses, have been especially popular, officials said.

"I think everybody was surprised by how many people wanted to go on the walking tour," said David Miller, co-owner of Midtowne Market and You Made It!, both located downtown. Midtowne Market is donating food for the event. "It's just such a good way to let the students know how much cool stuff there is downtown."