News

Mayor and Organizers Announce Details of B3P
9/15/2008

Mayor Matt Ryan, event organizers, and main sponsors gathered to announce the details of the first annual Binghamton BlowOut Block Party (B3P) at a news conference this morning along the Binghamton River Trail, just north of the Court Street Bridge.

B3P will take place on September 19, from 4:00-9:00pm in downtown Binghamton. The event is being spearheaded by Catalysts for Intellectual Capital (CIC2020), a student-run economic development think tank at Binghamton University, and involves many community partners, including local businesses and business associations, and the City of Binghamton. 
“I've always said partnerships and participation are central to making our community more vital and more vibrant, and this celebration is a great example of how Binghamton University, businesses owners, and local government are taking that approach and creating exciting opportunities for all our citizens,” said Mayor Ryan. “I applaud the initiative, commitment, and creativity of CIC2020 and all the participating organizations, and I encourage our community members to come and enjoy what B3P has to offer. There will be activities for all ages, and a true opportunity for residents to forge an even closer relationship with the university community.” 
The Binghamton BlowOut Block Party will feature a variety of activities, including live music and comedy in two performance areas, a 30-by-40 foot canvas for attendees to paint a group mural, more than 10 food vendors, 70 tables with information on local organizations and opportunities, raffles and give-aways, and much more.
B3P emerged from the Leadership Institute, a BU course that CIC 2020 offered to familiarize students with the many economic facets of Greater Binghamton, and to match student leaders with community leaders from business, political, and cultural sectors. The course’s final assignment was to develop a project that would promote the area’s economic development and quality of life, while also bridging the gap between the University and surrounding community. Then-sophomore Adam Amit's research paper “Welcoming Students to the City: Binghamton BlowOut Block Party,” introduced the idea of a community-wide celebration, and CIC2020 members began planning for it shortly thereafter.
“We designed the Binghamton BlowOut Block Party so that students and residents can meet and get to know each other in an educational and exciting way,” said Amit. “B3P will be a large fair in the heart of the city, where students and community members could come together for an enjoyable evening, and we expect a strong showing by both.”
Throughout the planning process, CIC2020 has worked closely with the City, the local business community, BU administrators, and student leaders. The group anticipates that the Block Party will be just the first in many more BU/community collaborations.
“We applaud the hard work and commitment of CIC2020 and all those involved in organizing this event,” said Ron Sall, president of the Downtown Binghamton Business Association, a major sponsor of B3P. “They’re setting a strong example of how students can work with and build closer ties to our community.”
B3P’s other main sponsors include the City of Binghamton, the Binghamton Local Development Corporation, Broome County Executive Office of Barbara Fiala, Binghamton University Off-Campus College Council, Shortline Coach USA, the Binghamton University Alumni Association, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, and Latin American Grill.
For more information on CIC2020 and the Binghamton BlowOut Block Party, visit the organization's website at http://www.cic2020.org/. And for the official B3P program, click here.

Print Article · Back