Northwest College is bringing back the Paint the Town Red event on Friday, Sept. 10. The downtown Powell party will be part of the college’s Diamond Jubilee, celebrating 75 years since the college was founded. 

This will be the fourth year the college has hosted the annual event. Due to the pandemic, the college had to forgo the celebration, but it will return to downtown Powell again this year. 

It aims to bring together the campus community with the greater Powell community. It’s open to everyone. There will be games, food, shopping, music and dancing. 

The event begins at 4 p.m. and goes until midnight. 

Performer Tia LeeAnn Ibarra will perform from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. on the outdoor stage at Plaza Diane in Powell. She will be followed by Tris Munsick & the Innocents from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. After 8 p.m. Chris Dugger, NWC’s resident life coordinator, will DJ a street dance party. 

Vali Twin Cinema will hold a Super Smash Bros. tournament from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m.. With the games projected onto the big screen, these video game tournaments have been a huge success. 

Besides local restaurants, there will be at least a dozen food trucks. 

Carey Miller, NWC director of communications and marketing, said the college chose the date of the event to be 75 years to the day that the college was founded. While it will pack a lot into a busy weekend, Paint the Town Red offers a downtown lead-in to Homesteader Days, which happens on Saturday at the Homesteader Museum.