EMU’s Campus Activities Council (CAC), the President’s Office, and the Harrisonburg Mayor’s Office all collaborated to create Royals Go Downtown: an event for EMU students to walk around downtown Harrisonburg, get free food and have lots of fun. 

Royals Go Downtown, dubbed “the event of the semester” by Tyler Goss in one of his emails to the EMU student body, took place on Thursday, Sept 22. 

Student Government Association Co-President Ella Brubaker said that this event was a “great way for both EMU students to get to know Harrisonburg and for Harrisonburg to get to know EMU.” 

Students gathered downtown at 6 p.m. at the Magpie Diner for some free pastries and a welcome from President Susan Schultz-Huxman. From there, students followed the pep band through downtown. 

The next stop was Sage Bird Ciderworks for frozen lemonade and pictures with Herm, the EMU mascot. Students walked to the court square, where Harrisonburg Mayor and EMU Board of Trustees Member, Deanna Reed, gave a few remarks. 

Mayor Reed told students, “Your presence in Harrisonburg makes us a better community due to your commitment to service” and “there is no Harrisonburg without EMU.” 

From there, students continued parading behind the pep band to Billy Jack’s for chicken nuggets and to Shirley’s Gourmet Popcorn Company for free popcorn. Across the street from Shirley’s, Oasis Fine Arts and Crafts had a band playing and gave out lollipops. Students ended the evening with Benny Sorrentino’s pizza, a dance party, and free t-shirts at Turner Pavilion on S. Liberty St. 

Mary Cain, a First-year student, said that this was a “good way to not only to get a bite to eat but also get to know the area a little better.” 

Haile Mast, a Sophomore, thinks that EMU should continue to do this event in the future. 

Luke Wheeler, a Senior, said that he thought it was cool that Mayor Reed was involved. He said, “It’s easy to feel like EMU is an island, so it was good to see downtown getting involved.” 

Ethan Spicher, also a Senior, was surprised by how many people came to the event. 

Lydia Longacre, a First-year, said that this was “an exciting way to get welcomed into Harrisonburg and try some awesome food.” 

Tyler Goss, Assistant Director of Student Programs, spearheaded putting the event together alongside Laura Daily, Amy Springer Hartsell, and Braydon P. Hoover. 

He said that it took a lot of collaboration with the President’s Office, Mayor Reed’s office, various departments around campus, and the downtown businesses to make this event happen. He also said that President Huxman and Mayor Reed pushed for this event to happen. 

The inspiration behind this event came from the JMU block party for freshmen that happens at the beginning of their fall semester. Goss said that “if they can do it, why can’t we?” 

Overall, Goss was impressed with the turnout, saying there were lots of fun vibes. He said that the EMU community and downtown really showed up for this event. 

Senior Seth Andreas came from the Washington Community Scholars Center in Washington D.C. to DJ for the event. He said that “the event was a blast!” He went on to say, “It was also fun to meet some of the first years for the first time! A fourth of the campus is now a stranger to me and I hope to shrink that fraction.”

In an email to the EMU Community sent on Friday, Sept. 23, the Royals Go Downtown planning team thanked the EMU students for the night saying, “To our students: Thank you! You brought the fun, the dancing, and the EMU spirit we know and love. No surprise to us, numerous remarks were made of how you all were so courteous, polite, and full of great energy!”

Finally, President Huxman hopes that this can continue to be a tradition. In an interview with WHSV 3, a local news station, she said, “We would love for it to be a regular tradition and this is why it’s been so beautiful to work with the city of Harrisonburg, and the mayor’s office, and the mayor herself who really sees this as an important kind of community engagement event.”