Downtown Schenectady could be teeming with hundreds of students Friday as the city launches a new monthly event designed to get people to sample downtown's offerings.
Called Passeggiata, an Italian word for an evening stroll by residents of a town, the event features a different theme on the third Friday of each month. The first one kicks off Friday from 5 to 9 p.m. and welcomes back students from Union and Schenectady County Community College.
The main event is a Wing Walk, where strollers can pay $5 to taste wings from a host of downtown restaurants and vote on their favorite.
There will also be a student dance party on Jay Street from 7 to 9 p.m. featuring electronic dance music.
Proctors Theatre will show “The Big Lebowski” in the GE Theater at 7 p.m., offering discounts and free popcorn for students.
Many downtown stores and restaurants also plan to offer discounts for students.
Justin Reilly '13, president of Student Forum, worked with the sponsor of the event, the Schenectady County Visitors Agency, to increase student participation. Student Forum will pay for the first 200 Union students who sign up for the Wing Walk at Proctors. Trolley service will be available to shuttle students between the campus and downtown throughout the event.
"This is a great idea to get students to leave campus and experience what downtown has to offer," Reilly said. "There's so much to do downtown, but many students don't realize it. This gives them a chance to check it out for themselves."
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