As Troy University students arrive to start their fall semester, the City of Troy has planned events to introduce students to the Downtown area.

About 350 girls going through the recruitment process with Troy sororities will be brought to the downtown area in three groups Monday and Tuesday to spend a few hours shopping and dining.

“It’s such a great opportunity to introduce new students to Downtown Troy,” said Leigh Anne Windham, community services coordinator for the city. “This is one of the first experiences those girls will get to have in Troy. They’ll get to shop and eat while they’re there, and come back again and again. It’s great for them and for downtown businesses.”

This is the second year of bringing the girls downtown after Barbara Patterson, director of student involvement at Troy University, suggested it last year.

“We were brainstorming ideas of things we could do for the girls going through rush, and we thought we could let them see what a wonderful downtown we have in Troy,” Patterson said. “It was a huge success last year, and I think it will be successful again this year.”

On Friday, the city will hold a welcoming reception for the university’s international students at the Johnson Center for the Arts, followed by a downtown tour.

“Of course, everybody’s new coming in, but these students are coming from a whole different country,” said Shelia Jackson, director of Troy Public Relations and Tourism. “So we’re trying to help them get familiar with the city and with what downtown has to offer. A lot of the international students walk, so that’s somewhere close to the university that they can walk to.”

Troy University Chancellor Jack Hawkins and Mayor Jason Reeves will speak at the reception.

On the next Thursday, August 18, Troy football Head Coach Neal brown will be on the square for the monthly Brown Bag event, as well as other coaches from Charles Henderson High School and Pike Liberal Arts.

The city and the Pike County Chamber of Commerce recently announced a that a market will be held downtown every other week beginning Sept. 10, featuring fresh produce, baked goods, jams and jellies, and artisan crafts.

“When we visited other comparable downtown areas, a couple that we visited had downtown markets,” said Windham. “There were lots of vendors and it was just a great experience. So we got together with the Pike County Farmers’ Market and got them on board, and we’re actively recruiting other vendors.”

Windham said that 11 vendors have already signed on from the Pike County Farmers’ Market with over a month remaining before the first market is held.

“Fall Parties on the Square” will return this year, consisting primarily of concerts and Troy football watch parties, as well as “Pumpkins Around the Square.”

For more information about the “Downtown Market” or “Fall Parties on the Square” contact Leigh Anne Windham at (334) 674-2468 or go to facebook.com/downtowntroy.