This event was the culmination of research completed last spring by the 2008 CIC Leadership Institute (CIC-LI), a select group of students who participated in a four credit leadership course modeled after the Greater Binghamton Chamber of Commerce’s Broome Leadership Institute (BLI).  Instructed by CIC2020’s faculty adviser, Dr. Diane Crews, and last year’s directors Josh Kay and Kathryn Fletcher, the 2008 CIC-LI engaged in The Confluence Project, a semester long project concentrating on the confluence as a cultural, intellectual and commercial hub.  

     Working with an idea that evolved through brainstorming with city leaders in the fall of 2007, CIC2020’s leaders successfully shaped the CIC-LI curriculum that led to several actionable research projects related to community & economic development challenges along the confluence corridor in Downtown Binghamton.

     The Binghamton Blowout Block Party (B³P) was a reflection on many of the important development issues identified by the CIC-LI students during The Confluence Project.  In a way, it was a capstone project that proved all of the points made by the research teams about student involvement being critical to downtown development.  

     The seminal idea of the B³P was to familiarize students with the city as residents and citizens of the community.  Intended to in-part act as an off-campus orientation for freshmen during their first weeks in Binghamton, CIC2020 hoped to create positive first impressions, helping new comers understand that this is an intellectually stimulating, environmentally conscious, creative, friendly and welcoming community.

     Organizational efforts for the B³P began in June 2008 as CIC2020 brought together representatives from the City of Binghamton Department of Economic Development, the Downtown Binghamton Business Association, the Gorgeous Washington Street Association, Southern Tier Celebrates, BU Student Association, BU Off Campus College, and several other key entities from both the University and local community. 

      Having demonstrated the power of university-community collaboration, CIC2020 was very pleased to provide the entire community with a spectacular event that brought in excess of 2,000 people to Downtown Binghamton!