LAS CRUCES, N.M. – The City of Las Cruces and the New Mexico State Department of Athletics are teaming up for a special collaborative event on Friday, Sept. 28, as NM State Athletic teams descend on the Plaza de Las Cruces for "Downtown Aggies 2018."
 
"The City of Las Cruces stands by our Aggies and encourages all to come out to the pep rally and support Aggie sports year round." said Phil San Filippo, Economic Development Director for the City of Las Cruces. "LAS CRUCES IS AGGIE COUNTRY and we encourage all to AGGIE UP!"
 
The free event is slated to go from 6 p.m. (MT) to 8:30 p.m. and features food trucks, vendors, community organizations, music and a huge pep rally. The NMSU Pride Band will be amongst the groups in attendance and is set to perform. Prizes and a t-shirt giveaway are also some of the promotions that are scheduled for the Friday, Sept. 28, event.
 
Members of each New Mexico State team will be on hand for the event. After the inaugural Downtown Aggies in 2017, New Mexico State Athletics went on to have one of the best athletic seasons in school history – claiming nine Western Athletic Conference regular-season and/or tournament championship on top of football breaking a 57-year bowl drought to win the 2017 NOVA Home Loans Arizona Bowl.
 
"We are lucky to have people at the City of Las Cruces who share this vision, and are excited to make the Aggies a more visible part of the community," NM State Director of Athletics Mario Moccia said. "This is a great way for NM State students to see what the city has to offer; and it's a great way for us to introduce our teams and student-athletes to residents of the second-largest city in New Mexico."
 
On Monday, Sept. 17, the City of Las Cruces proclaimed "Aggie Pride Week" to take place on Sept. 23-29, 2018. Additionally, the Downtown Aggies event will kick off a week of celebration for NM State Homecoming, which is scheduled for Oct. 6
 
The idea for the event originated with the city's economic development office, which aims to strengthen local business and community engagement.