Block Party to set tone for exciting semester

Liberty University will ring in the new academic year, which began on Monday, with the annual Block Party, hosted by the Student Activities department, at 5 p.m. Aug. 24 in the LaHaye parking lot.

The popular event will feature live music — headlined by Christian rock heavy hitters Red and opened by 7eventh Time Down — and includes carnival rides, games, giveaways, and a fireworks display. Food will be for sale and students will have the opportunity to meet with representatives from several university departments.

“Block Party sets the tone for all other events we plan throughout the school year,” said Stephanie Ward, associate director of programming and promotions for Student Activities. “I’ve heard so many stories about how long-term friendships are developed from our events, and we love being a part of a bigger plan in trying to foster these relationships among students.”

As nearly 4,000 new students join the resident population at Liberty, a number of events have been lined up to give them a proper welcome to the world’s largest Christian university. Incoming students, including about 1,000 transfer students, were greeted during Welcome Week, Aug. 14-17. In addition to seminars and orientation, students were invited to a number of exciting activities, giving them a taste of all that Student Activities will offer them throughout the year. Activities included movie nights, karaoke, bingo, a scavenger hunt, a free tubing trip, the Chancellor’s Kickoff, and last Saturday’s Back to School Bash, which featured games and hundreds of dollars in prizes.

“Student Activities hosts a wide range of events throughout the year to ensure all students are able to experience the exciting and diverse community at Liberty,” Ward said. “Whatever a student’s interest may be, there is an event for them, and we hope this encourages them to both network with others with similar interests and venture out to try new things.”

Student Activities has hosted the Block Party for about two decades. It is just one of the more than 80 events it hosts throughout the year, including concerts, movie nights, trail races, trips, and Coffeehouse. Visit the Student Activities website to learn more about upcoming events.