PC Welcome party, annual CHS/LDHS cross-county ball run tonight, Thursday, Aug. 24

The City of Clinton rolls out its official welcome to Presbyterian College students tonight, Thursday, Aug. 24, and during the Welcome Back PC Party, Clinton residents can also cheer on the CHS Cross Country team as it begins the annual cross county game ball run from Clinton to Laurens ahead of Friday’s rivalry football game.

The city’s downtown Clinton party tonight is from 5 to 9 p.m. Its purpose is to introduce PC’s newest undergraduate and graduate students to their new hometown, but community members are welcome to take part in the music and festivities as well.

Clinton Mayor Randy Randall will provide the welcome at 5:30 p.m. for newly hired PC President Anita Gustafson.

“We have about 35 vendors which will be set up around downtown, with antique cars from Cooper Motors, a couple of food trucks, the Pepsi wagon, and some PC professors who will be in the dunk tank, which should be fun for the students,” said Clinton’s Community Development Coordinator Dianne Wyatt. 

Several PC musicians are also set to perform during the evening.

Then between 6 and 6:30, those at the event can cheer on the CHS cross country team, which will be leaving Wilder Stadium at 6 p.m. to run the football past downtown and on to Clemson Eye near the hospital. Due to the expected heat, it’s an hour later than initially planned, said CHS Cross Country Coach Lee Atkinson.

At the Clemson Eye parking area, the CHS team will hand off the ball to the LDHS Cross Country Team about 7 or 7:15, then about 8 the LDHS team will be heading into Downtown Laurens.

“Once we get downtown we will hand the ball off to Mayor Nathan Senn,” said LDHS Cross Country Coach Matthew Campbell, “and there will be time for photo ops before it wraps up.”

The public is invited to each of the events.