This year’s Spring Block Party was a collaboration between the City of College Place and the university’s Associated Students of Walla Walla University (ASWWU) and Center for Humanitarian Engagement (CHE). With nearly 80 booths and more than 2,500 attendees, the event truly brought downtown College Place to life.
Spring Block Party is an annual collaborative event whose partnerships strengthen connections between the city and the university and helps “bridge the gap between students and the broader community,” said Ashley Davila, CHE event coordinator.
Throughout the afternoon, College Avenue hosted a variety of booths and trucks run by student clubs and local businesses. From food and face painting to a bounce house and interactive games, this event had it all—even Spring Jam.
Davila played a key role in this event. She worked alongside David Lopez, CHE executive director, to maintain communication and cohesion between the city and the university through every step.
Her primary goal was to re-engage ASWWU and increase overall student involvement by bringing Spring Jam back to Block Party. In recent years the city has taken the lead on Block Party, but it was originally driven by WWU student interest.
“I think the event was great! I'm glad CHE came to us in the hope that we would combine again! Hopefully we can keep this collaboration in future years,” said Alise Geisler, ASWWU social vice president.
From DJs to bands of all sizes, 29 student acts performed for Spring Jam, and thanks to Campus Sound, their music could be heard along the whole street. Because of this collaboration, student performers got to reach a larger crowd and the live music was enjoyed by all.
Geisler also received a lot of positive feedback from many student attendees. While Spring Block Party has a lot to offer, it can be difficult for students to participate when many booths require them to spend money. With Spring Jam and ASWWU’s free lemonade stand, students enjoyed feeling more considered and involved.
To find photos from the event, visit chewwu.smugmug.com. To learn about more opportunities for community connection and engagement, visit wallawalla.edu/che.
Posted June 24, 2026.
