Dustin Lynch Headlines Free Concert as Tech Welcomes Students Back
(UCBJ) – An estimated 6,000 Tennessee Tech University students, parents, alumni and Upper Cumberland locals packed Cookeville’s historic WestSide district over the weekend for a free block party and concert headlined by multiplatinum country music superstar Dustin Lynch.
The festivities were part of Tech’s fourth annual College Town Kickoff, a community celebration to welcome back students and mark the start of the fall semester.
Throughout the day, crowds enjoyed free carnival games and attractions – including a Ferris wheel, bumper cars, mini-golf and axe throwing – along with musical performances leading up to Lynch’s headlining concert.
“Our staff, faculty and community partners – led by Dr. Katie Aikens and our Division of Student Affairs – continue to raise the bar for this event year after year,” said Tech President Phil Oldham. “The time and energy they put into College Town Kickoff reflects how much they care about our students and the experience they have here in Cookeville. We’re grateful for the support of the City of Cookeville, Putnam County, the Cookeville-Putnam County Chamber of Commerce, CityScape, WestSide businesses, law enforcement, emergency personnel and neighbors who come out to enjoy the festivities and welcome our students. Together, we’re sending an unmistakable message: Cookeville is truly Tennessee’s College Town!”
College Town Kickoff
Aikens said the event is designed first and foremost with students in mind, particularly those who are experiencing their first weeks at Tech.
“We want our students to feel at home from the moment they arrive in Cookeville, and College Town Kickoff is a big part of making that happen,” said Katie Aikens, vice president for student affairs. “Those first few weeks on a college campus are so important in helping students find their people, build connections and feel like they belong. We want to deliver an experience that gives our students a great start – not only at Tennessee Tech, but in the community they’ll call home for the next four years.”
This year’s College Town Kickoff comes as Tech welcomes another sizable freshman class for the 2026-27 academic year, encompassing students from 86 Tennessee counties, 29 other states and eight other countries. Enrollment numbers will be finalized upon completion of the university’s upcoming annual fall census, taken two weeks after the start of classes.
See additional details from this year’s College Town Kickoff at www.tntech.edu/collegetownkickoff.
Photo courtesy of Tech.
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