Thursday night, there will be a new place downtown to watch the Auburn - Kansas State football game: outside.
The City of Auburn, Auburn Chamber of Commerce and Auburn Downtown Merchants are hosting an outdoor screening of the game in the Gay Street parking lot.
Before the sun goes down, the game will be broadcast live on televisions. When the sun does set, broadcasting will be switched onto a 25-foot inflatable screen owned by Auburn Parks and Recreation.
"The screen is pretty impressive," said David Dorton, director of public affairs with the City of Auburn.
A trial run of the screening was hosted during the summer of the World Cup. If interest is high, more showings for other away games will possibly be in store for the future. Interest will be determined by the amount of attendees at the Auburn - Kansas State game showing.
"It's really just a way to have a good downtown event for both people affiliated with the university and residents who aren't affiliated with the university; just a good community event for folks in that event space," Dorton said.
Some alcohol will be allowed at the showing, just not alcohol brought in from outside downtown.
"This is an entertainment district event, which means that if you go to a downtown restaurant and purchase an alcoholic beverage, you can take it out of the restaurant and be downtown at the event with it," Dorton said. "You still can't bring in outside alcoholic: no bottles, you can't bring a cooler full of alcohol."
There will be vendors set up at the parking lot selling food in addition to the downtown restaurants.
"Momma Goldberg's is going to have a tent, and several others as well," said Alison Hall, community and special programs director for Auburn Parks and Recreation.
The event is connected with the city's plan to improve downtown. This includes remodeling of the Gay Street parking lot and future cleaning up of the alley ways from the parking lot to Toomer's Corner.
"The first part of the plan started with that parking lot and being able to use it as an event space for bands and events like this," Dorton said. "We've always had a lot of downtown events. Having that Gay Street space allows us to have those events without closing the streets to traffic, which the downtown restaurants and businesses like. Obviously, this event isn't part of a master downtown plan, but there is a master downtown plan that led us here and let us be able to have this event."
Attendees are encouraged to bring anything to make them feel comfortable during the event, save for glass or outside alcohol.
"It'll be like a picnic downtown," Dorton said. "Bring some chairs, bring a blanket, whatever you think will enhance your experience."
The festivities will be family-friendly. Activities for children include large inflatables.
The Gay Street parking lot will close at 1 p.m. on Thursday to allow for preparation for the event. The event begins at 6 p.m. with activities and vendors. The kick-off is at 6:30 p.m. Admission is free.
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