By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

The area between the Fort Hays State University campus and downtown Hays will be filled with pedestrians Thursday evening.

Students and faculty from FHSU, NCKTech and the Hays Academy of Hair Design will join in the third annual Core 2 Campus celebration Thursday, organized by the Downtown Hays Development Corporation.

“The presidents of each school will also be joining us as we walk from the FHSU quad, starting at 5:30 p.m., along 8th Street to Fort Street and to 10th Street, ending up in the C2C staging area at 10th and Main,” said DHDC Executive Director Sara Bloom.

“The universities are so important to Hays, as well as downtown, and we really want to bring those two important entities together,” she said.

“We show the students that you don’t have to drive to Vine Street or Wal-Mart every time. You can just walk downtown from campus and we have all these great products and all these great services right in your back yard.”

More than 30 downtown Hays businesses will be participating and stay open until 8 p.m.  Raffle tickets can be picked up at each location with prizes to be given away that include $500 cash and gift cards to the businesses, according to Bloom. Drawing will take place at 7:45 p.m. and you must be present to win.

Representatives from several Hays city departments will also be on hand, including the Convention and Visitors Bureau, Hays Regional Airport, Public Works Department and the Hays Police Department.

“It’ll be a chance for students to meet some of our city employees,” Bloom said.

A live band will be playing in the staging area and free Taco Shop dinners will be provided to the first 500 people courtesy of FHSU, DHDC, Hays CVB, and Eagle Communications.

Hays city commissioners will also join the walkers, and then start their Thursday work session an hour later, at 7:30 p.m. in city hall.