There was no shortage of music and pizza Friday and Saturday night, and that is quite literal. The opening of Big Richard’s Pizza Shop was the cherry on top of the sundae for Shippensburg University students.
State troopers lined the streets, as well as private security personnel, but Saturday proved to be the more exciting day for the block party with a noticeably larger turnout.
“It’s nice to come back and be able to participate in something like this.The town and law enforcement are starting to work with students and trust us a little more, so I’m pretty happy with the turnout.” SU alumnus Jake Rivera said.“It was cool to see everyone come together to have a good time and not have to worry about consequences as long as they were responsible.”
Friday evening included a DJ. State troopers moved the setup around several times before everyone was happy and the night could go on. An hour after the road was shut down to traffic, students filled the street, but were turned back to the sidewalks by law enforcement. Private security and state troopers blocked off half of the road, asking students to stay in a designated area in the street as part of a compromise. The party was eventually shut down around midnight.
Saturday proved to be more enjoyable for students. Law enforcement were much more lenient when it came to students having more freedom. With more people, it seemed harder to control. There was no designated area for students and their guests. As a result, the street was filled, but attendees were respectful and elated.
The newly opened pizza shop on Richard Avenue was busy throughout the night, proving successful for its opening weekend. “It was cool to finally see it open, there’s been rumors for awhile so it’s nice to finally have a good pizza spot within walking distance.” senior Julia Saccucci said. “Saturday was much more fun, we were allowed in the street and able to have a real block party. It was the most fun I’ve had in a long time at Ship.”
It is unclear whether SU students will be able to have an organized event like this again in the future. By the looks of it, there should be no issues given that there were no irresponsible events that occurred that would lead to a barrier in the future.
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