Bryce Haugen
brycevincenthaugen@gmail.com

Over a thousand people, many of them college students, packed the Veterans Memorial Bridge last Thursday, Sept. 5 for the fourth annual Bridge Bash. The event kicked off Greater Moorhead Days festivities.
The goal of the event, which was co-sponsored by the Moorhead Business Association and Fargo’s Downtown Community Partnership was to welcome returning college students back to town and to introduce college freshmen to the community, said Sheri Larson, MBA executive director.
“We want them to, once they graduate, stay here,” she said.
Bridge Bash featured live music from Slamabama, vendors from more than 40 businesses and organizations, food trucks and bean bag toss. College students from Minnesota State University Moorhead, Concordia College and North Dakota State University agreed that it was a fun night.
“I think it’s a really good time to get together and know what’s going on in the community,” said Sydney Sperr, an MSUM sophomore from Morris studying business administration and Spanish.
Her friend, Miranda Johnson, a fellow sophomore studying speech, language and hearing sciences, said she loves living in Moorhead.
“There are a lot of people our age,” the New Rockford native said. “I really like meeting new people here. There’s a lot of diverse people.”
Concordia College sophomore Dreyton Rud and Gabe Holum stopped to chat after “jamming out” to the live music and eating at a food truck.
“I like Moorhead a lot,” Holum said. “I like the small town feel, but there are still so many things to do here.”
Rud said Bridge Bash was a great time to meet students his age from other schools.
“It’s just a good time for the community to come together,” he said.
Deb White, a Moorhead city councilwoman, said the abundance of students is one of the things that make the city special.
“I love being in a college community,” she said. “We’re so fortunate to have them here. They make the community vibrant.”
Over a thousand people, many of them college students, packed the Veterans Memorial Bridge last Thursday, Sept. 5 for the fourth annual Bridge Bash. The event kicked off Greater Moorhead Days festivities.
The goal of Bridge Bash, which was co-sponsored by the Moorhead Business Association and Fargo’s Downtown Community Partnership was to welcome returning college students back to town and to introduce college freshmen to the community, said Sheri Larson, MBA executive director.
“We want them to, once they graduate, stay here,” she said.