(Left) Chancellor Todd Shields and Jonesboro Mayor Harold Copenhaver shake hands while kicking off Paint the Town Red.
Jonesboro celebrated its annual Paint the Town Red event, where students and fans alike came out to support Arkansas State University athletics.
Friday, the Jonesboro Chamber of Commerce, in collaboration with A-State, hosted the 28th Paint the Town Red and renewed one of the city’s oldest traditions. The event brought the community to life with live music, street vendors, and speeches from local figures.
The week leading up to Friday fostered hometown spirit in Jonesboro, with local businesses painting their windows for a decorating contest.
Brandi Hodges, assistant director of university communications, said the decorating contest helps the community show pride in A-State and Jonesboro.
“Paint the Town Red is a way for the community to show their support, even in a seemingly smaller way, by doing any little thing that they would like to do to show that the Red Wolves and Jonesboro are important to them,” Hodges said.
In the campus category of the decorating contest, Delta Zeta won alongside Alpha Kappa Alpha and Kappa Alpha Psi.
(Left) Chancellor Todd Shields, Lauren Golden, Jaymeson Houston, Dakia Pope, and Head A-State Football Coach, Butch Jones.
Vice President of Chamber Programs Cody Slater said the lead-up to the event involved a full week of activities. He said the activities were intended to inform the community of the upcoming athletic seasons.
“We want the community to remember how important the A-State connection is with the Jonesboro community,” Slater said.
A long time coming, Paint the Town Red took weeks of preparation from the university as well, with the A-State band, cheer and dance, football and other A-State athletes all showing out for the big night.
Members of A-State cheerleaders at Paint the Town Red.
Andrew Baldridge, a junior Music Education major from Jonesboro, said he has childhood memories of attending Paint the Town Red. He said participating this year was nostalgic.
On Friday, the week culminated in a festival on Main Street. The night kicked off with local band Bloodhound playing well-known classics and downtown restaurants opening up their doors to the crowd.
Bloodhound lead guitarist Kody Martens during a performance at Paint the Town Red.
Speeches were given by Jonesboro Mayor Harold Copenhaver, Chancellor Todd Shields, Slater and Andy Shatley of St. Bernard’s.
Shields said Paint the Town Red is important for Jonesboro and A-State students.
“This is one town, one pack,” Shields said.
New street signs for all the roads leading to the university were unveiled as well. Copenhaver and Shields revealed the street signs for Burke and Cate Avenues, which are now black with Red Wolf logos, a sign of Jonesboro’s love for its hometown college.
“[This event] is about community engagement and giving back to the university that gave to us in education, and we absolutely believe in reinvesting our resources back in the education process of the city of Jonesboro and the university for future students,” Copenhaver said.
A-State students in attendance at Paint the Town Red block party.
When asked how he would measure the success of the event, Baldridge, a mellophone and French horn player, mentioned the following night’s game against Southeast Missouri State University.
“I want to see people at the game. I want to see them in the stands. And I want to see the student section packed.” Baldridge said.
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