For a new Kent State University student, the first few days on campus can feel like a whirlwind.
There are new classes to find, new friends to meet and a new campus to learn. On the Friday before the first day of fall classes, something happens that helps put all of it into a bigger perspective.
Students head downtown.
Flashes First Friday, one of the signature events of KSU Kickoff, invites Kent State’s newest Golden Flashes to discover downtown Kent, Ohio – not simply as a place next to campus, but as part of the community they are now calling home. On Friday, Aug. 21, students are invited to walk downtown and spend the afternoon exploring local businesses, enjoying food and music, and participating in giveaway and discount events.
It is a university tradition built around a simple idea – college life doesn’t end at the edge of campus.
Flashes First Friday is a real cool event,” said Jamie Reamer, owner of Franklin Square Deli and a Kent State alumnus. “It helps bring the community together with the university, connecting downtown and getting the students exposed to everything downtown Kent has to offer.
That connection is part of what makes Kent different.
Downtown Kent offers students independently owned restaurants, coffee shops, stores, galleries, live music, public art, outdoor spaces and other businesses and services – all within an easy walk of campus. Kent was named the No. 1 college town in Ohio and No. 8 in the nation in MoneyLion’s 2026 ranking of the 20 Best College Towns in America.
And Flashes First Friday gives thousands of new students a reason to start exploring Ohio’s best college town.
A Town Waiting to Be Discovered
For Justin Heiser, co-owner of Kent Sportswear and a Kent State alumnus, that first introduction can have a lasting impact.
“It’s just absolutely vital for the downtown businesses, not just us, but every business to get those freshmen down here for potentially the first time, people that may be customers for your next four years,” Heiser said. “It’s just important to introduce them to all that downtown has to offer.”
A first-year student who walks into a downtown shop on Flashes First Friday might discover the place where they will eventually buy a birthday gift for a roommate. A restaurant they visit with new friends might become their favorite spot for a late lunch. A coffee shop, music venue or public space might become part of their routine.
The businesses are meeting new customers.
But the students are discovering a new community.
And the relationship can last long after the first Friday.
“I personally like when the students are in town,” said Amber Dean, manager of Off the Wagon and Red Letter Days and a 2013 Kent State graduate. “The town just feels more lively and more like Kent itself.”
That energy is something downtown businesses notice every year when students return.
“The bustle comes when they all come back into town,” Dean said.
Jessica Crawford, co-owner of Alley Mac and a Kent State alumna who earned her graduate degree from the university, sees that transformation too. For her, the return of students isn’t simply about business.
“Students coming back to town just bring a lot of life to the downtown businesses and the area here,” Crawford said. “It’s fun. It’s just youth here, and we enjoy it a lot. It brings a lot to all of us.”
More Than a Day of Shopping
The economic impact of having thousands of students back in town is real.
Dean said sales at Off the Wagon and Red Letter Days increase when students return. Heiser said Kent Sportswear expands its hours and changes its merchandise to meet the needs of incoming and returning Golden Flashes.
But those changes are only part of the story.
At Franklin Square Deli, Reamer sees the return of students as a return of people who have become part of Kent’s identity.
“A lot of our regulars are people who were university students themselves and just kind of stuck around and fell in love with the community,” Reamer said. “That’s what me and my wife did too. We were students, not from here, but we fell in love with the community.”
That is the town-gown relationship at its best: The university brings students to Kent, and Kent gives students a place to live, eat, shop, explore and build memories beyond the classroom.
Main Street Kent’s mission is to make downtown a “fun, vibrant and thriving community,” and the organization highlights the breadth of experiences available to residents and students — from locally owned businesses and restaurants to live music, public art, museums and outdoor recreation.
Flashes First Friday puts that entire community on display for students at the very beginning of their Kent State experience.
Opening the Door to the Next Four Years
The businesses are ready.
Dean said Off the Wagon and Red Letter Days bring in additional, experienced staff for major events so employees can help new customers and answer questions. Heiser said Kent Sportswear spent the previous month restocking in preparation for the influx of students and is offering first-year students a free hat or other gift when they follow the store on social media.
At Alley Mac, Crawford is preparing to give students a literal taste of what the restaurant has to offer, with samples of its Snoop Pigg mac and cheese, coupons and other promotions.
And across downtown, businesses will be ready to welcome students who may be walking through their doors for the first time.
When we are here for Flashes First Friday, the whole place is just full of the colors of blue, yellow, white,” Crawford said. “The kids are coming in. They’re excited to see what’s going on inside the place. They get excited about smelling the food. They’re excited to see what we have here and what we offer.
Then comes the part that matters most.
“And then everywhere you look, you’re just seeing kids, and you’re seeing KSU adults and people walking around, and it’s just a fun time,” Crawford said.
That scene captures what Flashes First Friday is really about.
Thousands of students are not just being sent downtown to spend an afternoon.
They are being welcomed into the community.
They are learning the streets they will walk for the next four years. They are meeting the people who run the businesses that will become familiar faces. They are discovering restaurants, shops, gathering places and traditions that can become part of their college experience.
And the community is welcoming them back.
Because when the Golden Flashes return to Kent, they don’t just bring business.
They bring the city to life.
And for the newest members of the Kent State family, Flashes First Friday is an early invitation to become part of it.
