Headlining performance by Kingston at 8:45 p.m.
Cookeville – Tennessee Tech University will welcome students back to campus with a free block party for the community Saturday, Aug. 19 from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. across multiple locations in downtown Cookeville.
The event, titled “College Town Kickoff,” is set to feature carnival games, a climbing wall, inflatables, a zipline across Broad Street, a Ferris wheel, food trucks, shopping and dining specials, a kids zone and a musical performance by MTV Video Music Award and Teen Choice Award nominee Sean Kingston. Event sites include the Dogwood Performance Pavilion next to Dogwood Park, the intersection of West Broad Street and Cedar Avenue near the Cookeville Depot Museum and the courthouse square.
Street closures will be in effect to allow attendees to safely gather and enjoy the festivities.
“We are excited to offer this new event to introduce our Golden Eagles to Cookeville and showcase all that our community has to offer,” said Cynthia Polk-Johnson, vice president for student affairs at Tech. “From our zipline down Broad Street, to our Ferris wheel and carnival games, to live music featuring a performance by Sean Kingston, College Town Kickoff will offer something for everyone and will underscore why Cookeville is truly Tennessee’s college town.”
Local businesses offering extended hours and specials for College Town Kickoff include 37 Cedar, Cream City, Jamie’s Eats and Sweets, The French Cookie, HomeCORR, Cookeville Visitors Shop, Glass Tangerine, Harper’s Rare Books & Collectibles, Poppie’s Boutique, Poet’s Coffee, Outdoor Experience and Cumberland Mountain Outdoor Sports.
Musical acts taking the stage at the Dogwood Performance Pavilion throughout the day include the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagle Marching Band at 3 p.m., Nathan Colberg at 4 p.m., Gtar Phil and the Trio Band at 5:20 p.m., Lily Bethke at 6:40 p.m., and a headlining performance by Sean Kingston at 8:45 p.m. College Town Kickoff is presented in partnership with the City of Cookeville, Cookeville CityScape, the Cookeville-Putnam County Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Bureau.
The event is free and open to the public. Tickets are not required. In the event of inclement weather, the event will be rescheduled to a later date.
Learn more at www.tntech.edu/weekofwelcome/collegetownkickoff.php.
Photo courtesy of Tennessee Tech.
