Hula-hoops twirled, warm bluegrass lullabies played, silver trumpets rang and Labradors in Carolina blue scarves trotted about to celebrate the first home football game of the year.
The event, which is in its fourth year, is hosted by the Town of Chapel Hill, UNC Athletics and the nonprofit Chapel Hill Downtown Partnership, as a way for the community to come together and celebrate the downtown businesses of Chapel Hill as well as the community’s love for UNC football.
Meg McGurk, executive director of the Chapel Hill Downtown Partnership, said the event is a celebration of the football community and the financial boom that the sport provides to downtown Chapel Hill businesses.
“Football has a positive economic impact on our downtown, and it’s a great partnership with UNC Athletics, and the town, and the downtown businesses,” McGurk said.
The event this year featured live music performed by local bluegrass band Big Fat Gap, food trucks, face painting, balloon tiers, high-fives from Rameses and a parade of UNC’s very own Marching Tar Heels, cheerleaders and dancers.
“We’re just kind of doing it to get all the students and everybody around Chapel Hill hyped up for the game tomorrow,” said Michael Ward, a UNC sophomore and member of the Marching Tar Heels. “We really want people to come down and represent Carolina for our first home game.”
When it came time for the Marching Tar Heels to march down West Franklin Street, the westbound lane was shutdown while traffic continued rolling east behind them. Amanda Fletcher, the supervisor of events for the Town of Chapel Hill, noted that that is one of the reasons the event is so special.
“What’s really unique about it is that we run a parade down Franklin Street, which doesn’t happen too often,” she said.
