Record-Breaking Crowd Celebrates Trojan Spirit at 19th Annual BBQ at Bailey

The aroma of barbecue and the sound of live music filled the air at the 19th annual BBQ at Bailey on Oct. 8, as the University of Arkansas at Little Rock welcomed a record-breaking crowd of more than 2,200 attendees to celebrate one of the university’s most beloved traditions.

Hosted by the UA Little Rock Alumni Association, the annual tailgate-style event transformed the Bailey Alumni and Friends Center into a hub of Trojan pride, camaraderie, and celebration. Alumni, students, faculty, and staff came together to enjoy an afternoon of food, fellowship, and fun while honoring the university’s Ohio Valley Conference championship teams from the past three years.

Guests dined on barbecue from Whole Hog Café, cookies from Community Bakery, and enjoyed live music from Klassik Entertainment, while Travis “Tre Day” Rowan, UA Little Rock alumnus and host of “The Drive Time Show” on Power 92 FM, broadcast live from the event.

“BBQ at Bailey is more than just a meal. It’s a celebration of who we are as a Trojan community,” said Guy Choate, president of the UA Little Rock Alumni Board of Directors and chair of this year’s event. “For 19 years, this tradition has brought together generations of Trojans to share good food, good company, and good memories. This year’s turnout shows just how strong our community is.”

The event opened with remarks from Chancellor Christina S. Drale, who highlighted the university’s recent growth and accomplishments. She shared that UA Little Rock’s enrollment rose by 1.4 percent this fall, with the freshman class growing by an impressive 33 percent, which is the largest increase in years.

“It’s always a joy to gather with you at BBQ at Bailey, where we get to kick off the fall with great food, great friends, and the kind of Trojan spirit that makes this university so special,” Drale said. “Our students and faculty are achieving remarkable things and events like this remind us what it means to be part of something bigger than ourselves.”

Drale also spotlighted the dedication and excellence of the university’s student-athletes, who brought home multiple Ohio Valley Conference titles in 2023, 2024, and 2025. Athletic Director Frank Cuervo joined the celebration to honor the teams’ achievements.

“This is a great event,” said Nate Olson, associate athletic director of strategic communications. “It’s very special for our student-athletes, coaches, and staff to be recognized like this. You could see how much they enjoyed connecting with people from across campus and the community who support them.”

Technology, Tradition, and Trojan Pride

While BBQ at Bailey celebrates tradition, it also embraces innovation. This year, students from the Emerging Analytics Center added a high-tech twist by debuting a custom Snapchat filter designed specifically for the event.

“We walked around and helped people use the BBQ at Bailey Snapchat filter, and they were really impressed,” said Dalen Villa, a graduate student in computer science. “People are very intrigued by the technology used to create the app. People use Snapchat every day, and this app is our special mark on it.”

That blend of old and new is part of what makes BBQ at Bailey so special. Students from across disciplines joined alumni and faculty under the canopy of the Bailey Center patio, laughing, networking, and celebrating the shared spirit of UA Little Rock.

A Tradition That Brings Trojans Together

For many, BBQ at Bailey has become a cherished annual tradition. Leisa Myles, a 1998 graduate of the administration program who has attended all 19 events, said the celebration continues to grow in both size and spirit.

“Each year this event gets bigger,” Myles said. “What I love most is that it provides a good sense of community and camaraderie among faculty, staff, and students. It gives us all a chance to take a break, say hello, and enjoy each other’s company. It’s good music, good food, and good spirits.”

Others experienced BBQ at Bailey for the first time and were moved by the sense of connection it fostered. Kevin Jones, a UA Little Rock donor and volunteer, said he was impressed by both the turnout and the purpose behind the event.

“I’m a big believer in the value of higher education,” Jones said. “College changed my life, and it’s great to see so many people supporting the university. BBQ at Bailey had quite the turnout. It’s nice to see this level of support for the university.”

For international students like Sai Kandula and Shivani Katta, both graduate students from India, BBQ at Bailey offered a warm introduction to Trojan traditions.

“It’s nice to experience the culture here,” Kandula said. “Not only is this a place for coming together, but showcasing the championship trophies and the athletes who won them shows another quality of UA Little Rock — it’s a winning culture.”

Katta agreed, noting that the event helps bridge connections across the university.

“It brings the campus together,” Katta said. “The student body can mingle with professors and instructors in an informal space. It’s great for campus pride.”

Pride, Legacy, and Looking Ahead

Longtime supporters also reflected on how BBQ at Bailey embodies the university’s enduring mission. Don Riggin, a 1962 graduate and member of the UA Little Rock Centennial Campaign Committee, said the event symbolizes the university’s deep roots in the community.

“This event shows pride — from sports to academics to community fellowship,” Riggin said. “It shows that this university is part of this community’s culture. When I enrolled here, I came because I could get a great education at an affordable cost, and that’s still true today.”

This year’s record turnout reaffirmed that BBQ at Bailey isn’t just an event but a reflection of what makes UA Little Rock special: its people, its pride, and its shared sense of purpose.

“Every year, BBQ at Bailey reminds us why we love this university,” Choate said. “It’s a celebration of where we’ve been, where we are, and where we’re going — together.”

This year’s BBQ at Bailey took on a special twist as several community volunteers joined the event to help serve students. Traditionally, UA Little Rock student-athletes serve at the annual gathering, but this year’s addition of local business representatives brought an exciting new dimension to the event.

The goal was to give students an opportunity to interact with professionals from a variety of industries, people they might one day work alongside or for, while also recognizing the generous spirit of the business community that supports the university.

Representatives from the following companies volunteered their time to serve: Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Bailey Construction, Bravere, Centennial Bank, City of Little Rock, DDK Forestry and Real Estate, LLC, Flexion Point, Good Seven Management, LLC, Goodwill Industries of Arkansas, JP Morgan Chase, KSmith Properties, mhp.si, Regions Bank, Simmons Bank, and TMB Capital Partners.

Their participation not only made this year’s BBQ at Bailey a memorable experience but also underscored the strong partnership between UA Little Rock and the local business community in supporting student success.