Murfreesboro, Tennessee. – Middle Tennessee State University’s Walnut Grove, the traditional pregame gathering place for students, alumni and fans of Blue Raider football, will be even louder and prouder this season with the addition of “Party in the Grove,” which will feature live music, food trucks and other fun activities.

The centerpiece of Party in the Grove will be a stage for performances by bands, artists and DJs that will open three and a half hours before kickoff of the six home games. Two food trucks and several new sponsor tents and activities will also be added.

The Raider Walk, the team’s traditional arrival two hours before kickoff, will remain, as will popular family activities such as the Band of Blue, cheerleading and dance teams, bounce houses and face painting. There will also be space for fraternity tents and tailgating for alumni and others.

The party ends 45 minutes early with a “Follow Me to Floyd” parade led by Student Government Association President Michai Mosby and Blue Zoo President Bretlyn Warner, who also serve as emcees for the event.

“Our goal with this and our many other new athletics-related initiatives is to create excitement and engagement on our campus on game days,” said MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee. “I appreciate the hard work and collaboration of the many offices and groups across the university that made this new event possible.”

Party in the Grove is a partnership led by the Division of Student Affairs, the College of Media and Entertainment, and Blue Raider Athletics.

“Party in the Grove is just one of many great additions we have planned this season to enhance the game experience for our fans,” said Athletic Director Chris Massaro. “We are all excited to usher in this new era of Blue Raider football.”

McPhee said the artist lineup for Party in the Grove will be announced soon, but the president said, “I look forward to welcoming some of our former musicians to help us get Party in the Grove off the ground.”

Information about each Party at the Grove will be posted on the Blue Raider Athletics website, goblueraiders.com, as part of the game day information for fans.

Walnut Grove, an open field between Peck Hall and the Cope Administration Building, has long been a focal point on the MTSU campus.

The forest’s name came after JH Bayer, a janitor at what was then Middle Tennessee State Teachers College, visited Mount Vernon, the home of George Washington in Virginia, and filled a paper bag with nuts that had fallen from trees that grew there when the first President of the United States lived there. Bayer planted the walnuts in the forest and the trees became a source of beauty and shade over the years.

The Blue Raider football season begins Saturday, August 31st with a home opener at Floyd Stadium against historic rival Tennessee Tech at 6 p.m. Click here to purchase tickets for the game.

Source: MTSU
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