A Ribbon Cutting ceremony, to officially celebrate the opening of the Village Lofts, kicked off the Back to School Bash hosted by College Hill Corridor at the Mercer Village last Wednesday evening. Despite the persistent heat, Mercer students, Macon adults, and young families came out to take part in the festivities. President Underwood, Mercer cheerleaders and everyone’s favorite mascot, Toby, made their appearances during the event.
The section of Montpelier Ave. that runs through Mercer Village was blocked off to keep vehicles from entering the area. Several businesses set up tents along the block. Apparel Authority, a company that creates personalized shirts and accessories, including Mercer apparel, was one of the companies represented along the block.
Other local businesses, such as Fountain of Juice and Margaritas, had their doors propped open invitingly. The streets were filled with a comfortable number of people, not too crowded, but enough participants to keep a buzz of excitement in the air. Retail discounts were offered by several local businesses, including Rodeo Beach.
The Mike Kinnebrew Band set the mood for the rest of the night, providing the entertainment on the outdoor stage. The band, an acoustic pop rock group, is a regular headliner at the renowned Eddie’s Attic in Atlanta. Many participants sat on restaurants’ patios with a slice of pizza from Ingleside or a drink from Jittery Joe’s while enjoying the evening and the music.
The younger participants also seemed to be enjoying themselves. Toddlers were running back and forth across the street. The older children attempted to play a game of Corn Hole, which only resulted in an entertaining beanbag fight.
To top off the night, in Tattnall Square Park, students and families could experience a big screen showing of the movie The Social Network, a movie about the beginnings of Facebook that came to theaters last fall.
David Barwick, representing Apparel Authority, commented, “The event went very well despite the heat.”
“The most exciting part for me was watching the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony; I’ve never seen one in person. Not to mention, I look forward to the day I can move into one of the new lofts,” says Alexis Messinger, a freshman studying speech therapy at Mercer.
For students and adults of all ages, the Back to School Bash was a pleasant distraction from classes and a great start of the 2011-2012 academic school year.
Mercer Village hosts Back to School Bash
