Student Government’s first Third Street Beat — a block party created to encourage students to experience downtown Baton Rouge — lacked the student turn out SG was hoping for.
About 75 people attended the event, and many of the participants were not students. But SG officials said the turnout was good for the first year, and more money could have made it better.
“I was pleased with the number of people who turned out for the first year,” said Danielle Wheeler, co-director of SG public relations.
Wheeler said if SG had more funding for the block party, it could have scheduled a band that would have brought out more students.
SG spent $6,000 on the block party.
“You can’t expect too much for the first year,” said Aimee Verrette, co-director of SG special projects.
Wheeler said she hopes the street beat will continue to get bigger.
SG President Brad Golson said he was pleased with street beat.
Golson said it was a great way for the students and the community to come together.
Many of the students who did go agreed it was fun.
Lauren Myerscough, a mass communication sophomore, said she and her friends heard it would be a good show. Though she had never heard the party’s band, The Neighborhood Stars, play before, she said she was having a good time.
Jennifer Reed, a studio art freshman, said she does not go downtown often, so she was happy to be downtown at the block party.
Unlike Myerscough and Reed, Jeremy Ballard, a graphic design junior, said he had seen the band before and that they were “better than ever” at the block party.
Ballard said he went to the party to experience downtown and see the band.
Community members enjoyed the block party, too.
Lola Jenkins and Morning Ward, Baton Rouge residents, said they heard about the block party on the news and decided to go downtown.
“It is really good to mix with different ages,” Jenkins said.