MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Middle Tennessee State University students, alumni, fans and supporters of Blue Raider football are in store for a season full of fun, food, fellowship — and new slate of live music guests — as the university kicks off another round of Party in the Grove pregame tailgates before this year’s six home football games.

Set again for the Walnut Grove area near Peck Hall, this year’s first Party in the Grove is set for Saturday, Aug. 30, as the Blue Raiders host in-state rival Austin Peay Governors for a 6 p.m. kickoff at Floyd Stadium. Click here to purchase tickets to the game.

Party in the Grove will start two and a half hours before kickoff with the football team’s traditional Raider Walk led by coach Derek Mason to greet MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee and the host of fans gathered along the southside of Peck Hall, with the Band of Blue and the cheer and dance teams on hand to spur them to victory.

The event will again include a main stage for performing artists, food trucks and a full slate of activities for the entire family — bounce houses, custom license plates, face painting, airbrush T-shirts, balloon and calligram photo stations and more. Space also remains for fraternities and sorority tents, as well as tailgating for alumni and others.

Guests artists this year include country artist Lauren Watkins; pop/rock band davvn (pronounced dawn); Grateful Dead tribute band The Stolen Faces; singer-songwriter Medium Build; a special military cover band to be announced; and R&B/funk band The Psycodelics.

Each party will wind down 45 minutes prior to kickoff with a “Follow Me to Floyd” parade, led by new Student Government Association President RJ Ware and Blue Zoo President Bretlyn Warner, who will also be the event’s emcees. 

“We are excited to kick off another football season, and Party in the Grove provides a tremendous atmosphere where our students and fans can come together before the game to fellowship, have some fun and ready themselves to fill up Floyd Stadium,” McPhee said.

The event continues to be a partnership led by the Division of Student Affairs, the College of Media and Entertainment and Blue Raider Athletics.

New artist lineup features variety of genres

This year’s musical lineup has a heavy student influence, with a group of students in MTSU’s Concert Series Booking course, under the guidance of Recording Industry assistant professor Adam Caress, getting a taste of experiential learning by identifying and booking the following guest artists (other than the military cover band to be announced):

• Aug. 30: Lauren Watkins is a Nashville-based country music artist who in 2024, toured fairs, festivals and even opened stadiums for country star Morgan Wallen internationally on his “One Night At A Time Tour,” according to her website, which includes her videos and songs. This year, she’s kept the momentum rolling, sharing stages with Riley Green, Zach Top and Lainey Wilson while gearing up for a 2025 full of new music, starting with “Lose My Cool” out now.

• Sept. 20: Davvn (pronounced dawn) is a Nashville-based pop/rock band made up of lead singer McCall Bliss and guitarist Mike Nuzzolo that “creates new nostalgic alternative pop music influenced by growing up in the early 2000s,” according to its website, which features a collection of music and videos. The group has said among their biggest musical influences to start were artists like Avril Lavigne, Michelle Branch, and Fall Out Boy. 

• Oct. 8: The Stolen Faces is a Nashville-based Grateful Dead tribute band ed by bassist Christian Grizzard and a rotating cast of musicians. The band’s website describes the group as being able to “deftly capture the spirit of the Dead, covering the band’s expansive catalog and delivering it with the sort of energy and spontaneity that might have you thinking you’re standing in the Winterland Ballroom in 1973!”

• Oct. 29: Medium Build is the stage name for singer-songwriter and MTSU alumnus Nick Carpenter now based in Nashville. In 2024, he released the album “Country” and “Marietta” EP, with the latter including a collaboration with former college classmate Julien Baker, “Yoke.” You can find a collection of his music videos here.

• Nov. 8: A military cover band (to be announced) will provide music for the annual Salute to Veterans and Armed Forces game.

An annual tradition as part of Veterans Day, observed annually nationwide Nov. 11, the 43rd Salute to Veterans game — this year against Florida International University — will recognize veterans and active-duty personnel for service to their country. The effort is led by the Charlie and Hazel Daniels Veterans and Military Family Center and the Blue Raider Athletics.

• Nov. 22: The Psycodelics is an R&B, funk band that describes its music as having elements of funk, blues, gospel and R&B. The group consists of Cameron Wescott (bass, vocals), Sean Bing (drum, vocals), Noah Jones (keys), Whitt Burn (guitar), Jim Rubush (guitar) and Chris Barnwell (percussion). You can watch the group perform the song “So Sweet” for its NPR Tiny Desk contest submission on their YouTube channel.

About Walnut Grove

Walnut Grove, an open field between Peck Hall and the Cope Administration Building, has long been a focal point on the MTSU campus. It got its name after J.H. Bayer, a custodian at then Middle Tennessee State Teachers College, visited Mount Vernon, George Washington’s home in Virginia, and filled a paper bag with nuts that had fallen from trees growing when the nation’s first president lived there. 

Bayer planted the walnuts in the grove and the resulting trees became a source of beauty and shade throughout the years. 

— Jimmy Hart (Jimmy.Hart@mtsu.edu)