Texas Tech, Lubbock Team Up for Urban Stage Demonstration Project

A week long list of events hopes to highlight the potential of downtown sustainability.

Texas Tech University and the City of Lubbock are teaming up to reconstruct a downtown city block and fill it with a week's worth of events to demonstrate what is possible with a revitalized downtown area.

The College of Architecture and the College of Visual and Performing Arts are hosting Urban Stage, a temporary renovation of Avenue J between Broadway Avenue and Main Street.

“Urban Stage is designed to demonstrate an urban street that is economically, socially, culturally and environmentally sustainable,” said David Driskill, the Mark E. Humphreys, AIA Chair for Urban Design in the College of Architecture.

Media can tour Urban Stage at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday (Oct. 29) in the parking lot of Lubbock National Bank to get an idea of the construction of the Urban Stage and ask questions about its purpose.

Then, a week's worth of events will be held within the Urban Stage:

• Oktoberfest: 6:30-9:30 p.m. Oct. 30. Free admission to the event, which features live music by Grammy-winning polka/rock/worldbeat band Brave Combo.
• Monster Dash Fun Run: 6 p.m. Oct. 31. The 6K run begins and ends at Urban Stage, winding through Mackenzie and Atzlan parks Local band Dalton Dominio will perform.
• “Thriller” Video and Dance: Also on Oct. 31, learn how to do the zombie dance from Michael Jackson's “Thriller” video; 8:30-9:30 p.m. for ages 17 and under, 9:30-10:30 p.m. for ages 18 and over.
• Fairy tale Breakfast: 10 a.m.-noon Nov. 1. Enjoy breakfast during performances by fairy tale characters, and have your picture taken with those characters at the Lubbock National Bank Pocket Park.
• Broadway and Gourmet on Avenue J: 4:30-6:30 p.m. Nov. 2. The Hub Theatre Group will perform and food will be served by the Texas Tech Department of Restaurant, Hotel and Institutional Management.
• Bands Benefit the Buddy Holly Center: 7-10 p.m. Nov. 7. A night of local bands will be featured on Avenue J in the Urban Stage

Also, for the entire week, the street will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. so those interested can experience the projects. Sponsored by Texas Tech, the City of Lubbock, Civic Lubbock, Inc. and Lubbock National Bank, sidewalk dining  from Giorgio's Pizza, Lee's Home Cooking, Emma's Mexican Restaurant and the Twist'd Texan Food Truck, and other food trucks, will be available daily with entertainment in the LNB Pocket Park and Giorgio's Cabaret Stage.

Yellow House Coffee will also be available in the LNB Pocket Park each day from 7:30-9 a.m., benefiting Starcare Specialty Health Care Systems. Additional information is available by clicking here.

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