Rock the Block is coming to the Longwood Landings this Friday from 5:30 to 9:00 p.m.
There will be a free picnic for those with student IDs. Some of the tasting vendors include Moe’s and Chick-fil-A. There will be prizes, businesses, games and even a mechanical bull ride.
Rock the Block is not just for the students; it's for everyone in the Farmville area, and this year it's more open to students' parents than it has been in previous years. Rock the Block is the kick- off for Family Weekend.
This has changed from years past as both Rock the Block and Family Weekend have been scheduled on separate weekends.
“Rock the Block has a carnival- like atmosphere, and it is a way to bring the community together,” said Susan Sullivan, director of Student Union and Activities. “We decided to change it because we wanted to attract the parents to it, and we also thought it would be easier to have both in one weekend rather than separating it.”
Another change is the event’s increased novelties, which Sullivan said included shaved ice, popcorn and funnel cakes.
“The main reason we made these changes were because of the student feedback we got from the events in years past,” said Sullivan.
Despite all the changes, many things have stayed the same for Rock the Block. The food will include hot dogs, corn dogs, hambergers and veggie burger option. Beverages will also remain similar to years past, where venders will serve soda to the underage guests and a Garden will be set up between Barnes and Noble and Chick-fil-A for those Rock the Block attendees who are old enough to enter.
Sullivan said that more than businesses are taking part in Rock the Block this year, many of which have participated in previous years.
As for the event’s bands, Sullivan said previous performer SnackBar Jones will headline the event.
Other musical guests include Against Grace, as well as an open mic portion of the event where members of the community can demonstrate their talents on Crute Stage.
When you attend the event, you can use the hashtag #RTB2013 when you tweet to share how much fun you are having at the event.
You can share your photos of the event and you can also give feedback about the event on Twitter, as well as on other social media sites.
“We decided to have the events on the Landings and not on campus because we thought it would be easier for people to see since it's almost right in the middle of town,” Sullivan said. “It's also more open to the members of Farmville, as well. Also, the town members don't have to worry about parking on the campus lots.”
