Northern Alumni Foundation to be dancing in the streets

Montana State University-Northern Alumni Foundation is starting a new tradition of holding a Homecoming Street Dance to finish up homecoming week.

Alumni Associate Becka Stone said this will be the first year the Alumni Foundation will hold its Homecoming Street Dance, set for Saturday in celebration of the 20-year anniversary of reinstatement of Northern’s football team.

The street dance will be on Second Avenue, between First and Second streets, with food and drinks available, she said, adding that admission is free. The band Matt Strachan and the Hoot Owls out of Helena will be playing live at the event.

Stone said Havre Eagles Club, Old Station Brewing Co. and the Eat With Me food truck will all be open for the event.

Old Station Brewing Co. is also making a special brew for the event, she said, a light beer, in honor of the Northern Lights.

The party will be from 6 to 10 p.m., Stone said.

The Foundation is putting together this event for the Northern alumni who are still here in town and people who are coming back for the football game, Stone said, and the additional goal is to bring the community into the activities.

“To make homecoming more of a community event for everyone, because the community has been a huge supporter of Northern, and we just want to do a little something to give back to them,” she said.

She said the street dance is a special event for Northern and might not be held every year. Stone said she hopes it might happen every five years, adding that if it goes well they can always build on it in the future.

Other events for Saturday will include a free Maroon-Gold Spirit Brunch at the new Diesel Technology Center, a Spirit Crawl and a tailgate party before the football game.

The Maroon Gold Brunch will be from 10 to 11 a.m., Stone said, and will be open to the community. It will be a light breakfast including pastries, coffee and juices, she added. Stone said the community is free to walk around, go to the Northern bookstore in the Student Union Building and purchase some Northern gear.

The Spirit Crawl up the Blue Pony Stadium will start at 11 a.m., Stone said, followed by the tailgate party before the Lights take on the Carroll College Fighting Saints at 1 p.m.