Saturday marks McNeese State’s first home football game, and the party is getting started Friday night with the Cowboy Block Party.

For four years, a series of block parties have been hosted at the Robert Noland Alumni Pavilion, located at 4539 Common St., on Fridays before a home game. They are free to the public.

The Cowboys open their five-game home slate at 7 p.m. Saturday against Southern University. McNeese lost its season opener 26-23 last week at Tarleton State.

McNeese Athletic Director Heath Schroyer said, through Jacey Broussard, the athletic department’s assistant director of corporate partnerships, the parties are a football season “staple.”

“I love this community, McNeese and our incredible fan base,” Schroyer said. “The block parties are special because they bring all those entities together. They are family friendly and a great time.”

The parties are hosted to “enhance student and community engagement,” he said.

“The block parties … have created an atmosphere that’s fun and inviting for our students and our community,” he said. “It’s all about creating an atmosphere and environment where people want to come to and be a part of which in turn helps enrollment. When enrollment goes up our entire community benefits.”

Gates open at 6 p.m. and music starts at 7:15 p.m. Schroyer said he believes the musical lineup is the “best one yet.”

R&B and soul band Three Thirty Seven will perform Friday.

Bag of Donuts will perform on Sept. 13, Wayne Toups on Sept. 20, Rusty Metoyer on Nov. 1 and the Party Hounds on Nov. 22.

Partiers are allowed to bring outside food and drinks, but food and beverages will be available for purchase. Food trucks will be parked on site, and McNeese Alumni will be selling beverages. Students with a valid McNeese ID can get beer for $1.