After a six-year hiatus, Thursday Night Live returned as a weekly event for UC Riverside staff, faculty, and graduate students to socialize and relax after work. The series began October 23 and runs until November 13, offering the UCR community a chance to enjoy live music, presentations, and food at The Barn from 5-7 p.m. Additional dates will be announced for the winter quarter.
"Thursday Night Live is all about creating a relaxed, welcoming space for our campus community to connect,” said Moses Preciado, general manager of dining and hospitality services.
The program began in 2016 as a collaboration between different departments at a campus leadership retreat to strengthen the sense of community on campus. In 2020, the event was paused due to the pandemic.
Previously hosted at the HUB, this marks the first Thursday Night Live series since the pandemic and the first to be held at the Barn since its renovation and expansion. The program is sponsored by the Thursday Night Live Committee, which partners with campus groups to showcase local talent and highlight faculty research.
This season, Thursday Night Live is teaming up with After Ours at the Stable to offer complimentary wine and spirit tastings. The lineup includes live music with KUCR and various theme nights.
“It feels like we’re finally restoring something that was lost during the pandemic,” said Brendan O’Brien, assistant vice chancellor of student engagement. “I think people on campus are looking for more opportunities to get to know folks outside of their departments and schools. It's also amazing to have the After Ours team bring new life to The Stable and their cocktails are fantastic.”
The committee has set future dates for the winter quarter, with the program scheduled to resume on January 22.
“People can look forward to more drink tastings from our partners, live music, engaging educational programming, and of course, great food,” Preciado said.
Here are the remaining performers for the fall season:
- November 6 – live music with KUCR
- November 13 – Stephen Kane, professor of planetary astrophysics, will be presenting his research on Venus.
Visit the Events Calendar for more details.
