MTSU kicking off pregame ‘Party in the Grove’ for Blue Raider football season

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Middle Tennessee State University’s Walnut Grove, the traditional pregame gathering spot for students, alumni and fans of Blue Raider Football, will be 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 performance stage for bands, artists and DJs, set to start three and a half hours before kickoff of the six home football games. Two food trucks and several new sponsor tents and activities will be added to the mix as well.

Raider Walk, the traditional arrival of the team two hours before kickoff, remains in place, as does the family favorite features such as the Band of Blue, cheer and dance teams, bouncy houses and face painting. Space also remains for fraternities and sorority tents, as well as tailgating for alumni and others.

The party will wind down 45 minutes prior to kickoff with a “Follow Me to Floyd” parade, led by Student Government Association President Michai Mosby and Blue Zoo President Bretlyn Warner, who will also be the event’s emcees.

“Our goal with this, and our many other new initiatives tied to Athletics, is to build excitement and engagement on our campus during game days,” said MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee. “I appreciate the hard work and collaboration by the many offices and groups across the University to make this new event possible.”

Dr. Sidney A. McPhee, MTSU president — Dr. Sidney A. McPhee

Chris Massaro, MTSU director of athletics — Chris Massaro

The power behind the 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 in the works this season to improve the game-day experience for our fans,” said Athletics Director Chris Massaro. “We are all excited to begin this new era of Blue Raider Football.”

McPhee said the artist lineup for Party in the Grove will be announced shortly. However, the president said, “I’m looking forward to welcoming some of our music industry alums to help us get the Party in the Grove started.”

This map shows the layout for the new Party in the Grove pregame celebration to be held at Blue Raider home football games this fall in the Walnut Grove area on the west side of the Middle Tennessee State University campus in Murfreesboro, Tenn. The event will feature the traditional Raider Walk by members of the Blue Raider football team in front of Peck Hall along with the Band of Blue but will also now include live music, food trucks, tailgating and more. (MTSU illustration by Creative and Visual Services)

Information about each Party in the Grove will be featured on the Blue Raider Athletics website, goblueraiders.com, as part of its 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.

It got its name after J.H. Bayer, a custodian at then Middle Tennessee State Teachers College, visited Mount Vernon, George Washington’s home in Virginia, and filled a paper bag with nuts that had fallen from trees growing when the nation’s first president lived there.

Bayer planted the walnuts in the grove and the resulting trees became a source of beauty and shade throughout the years.Blue Raider Football’s season begins at 6 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 31, with the home opener at Floyd Stadium against historic rival Tennessee Tech.

Click here to purchase tickets to the game.

— Andrew Oppmann (Andrew.Oppmann@mtsu.edu)