<h2><img height="22" border="0" width="176" alt="Feature Story" src="http://www.siue.edu/news/img/featurestory.gif" /><br /> <br /></h2><h2><img height="200" width="532" alt="SIUE, City Join To 'Rock the Block' At The Welcome Back Block Party" src="http://www.siue.edu/news/feature/img/080812MainNewsPic.jpg" /></h2><p>(EDWARDSVILLE) Nonstop Rock will rock the block for late summer fun and entertainment as part of a celebration welcoming back Southern Illinois University Edwardsville students at the intersection of Second and St. Louis streets in downtown Edwardsville on Sept. 5.</p><p>SIUE students, faculty, staff and the community are invited to start the party at 6 p.m. with no admission charge. A DJ will play music from 6-8 p.m. and Nonstop Rock will play from 8 p.m. to closing with great rock-n-roll music for dancing.</p><p>Since its inception, the Block Party has been held on the first Friday of the first week of classes but this year that falls on Labor Day weekend; therefore, the Block Party Committee moved this year's celebration to Sept. 5.</p><p>"This is a great way for our new and returning students to become acquainted with the downtown Edwardsville business district," said Greg Conroy, SIUE's director of Public Affairs and one of the coordinators of the event. "There will be Edwardsville restaurants and shops with food and clothing booths at the block party to give students a taste of Edwardsville.</p><p>"In addition to activities for students, we'll have many inflatable games and activity booths for the entire family, so that everyone can join in the fun."</p><p>The Block Party has grown since it began in 2000, with some 3,000 people attending in 2006. The event was cancelled in 2007 due to inclement weather</p><p>The event is sponsored by the city of Edwardsville, SIUE, the SIUE Campus Activities Board and Student Government, the Edwardsville-Glen Carbon Chamber of Commerce, J. F. Electric, the Edwardsville Intelligencer, SIUE Marketing and Communications, SIUE University Relations and National City Bank.</p>