Downtown Dancing 'Til Dusk
The community feeling of Hill ‘n the ‘Ville only got better when the stage sound equipment hit a snag and Pete Francis (formerly of Dispatch) came down into the crowd to play some tunes.
College students in central Maine had practically just arrived on their campuses when it was time to leave—to go downtown for the third annual Hill ’n the ’Ville festival Sept.12. Organized by Colby students and the Waterville Main Street organization, the event brought students and the community together and included games, activities, and five musical acts.
The bands had students from Colby, Thomas, and Unity colleges dancing on the lawn alongside the Kennebec River from noon until dusk. “[The bands] aren’t focused towards one particular age group or music style,” said Emily Cook ’11, a student organizer. The lineup included The Joint Chiefs (from Colby), Sly Chi, Barefoot Truth, and Pete Francis.
Hundreds of Colby students found their way to Hill ’n the ’Ville; on the Colby shuttle (“the Jitney”), on bicycles, and a few on foot after the Jitney broke down.
Erik Thomas, a Waterville community organizer, said that this year’s festival was bigger than in years past. “There’s a lot more going on. ...There’s a place in town called Are You Ready to Party, and they were nice enough to sign on to provide different games and activities.”
Peter Landsman ’12 attended Hill’n the ’Ville for the first time. “At the very least it’s a good opportunity to do something in the community that’s not Wal-Mart,” he said.
Thomas hopes that students will keep coming. “Before … a lot of students were spending all of their time on campus,” he said, “but it’s nice to see them get out around town and see what downtown has to offer.”
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