AMHERST, N.Y. – Daemen College will hold its third annual Daemen Day in Amherst on Sept. 8, a special celebration to connect the college community with Main Street’s thriving business district.

The day’s festivities will for the first time be a part of the inaugural Daemen Founders Celebration, a new annual tradition to commemorate the college’s rich history of academic excellence and origins as Daemen marks its 70^th anniversary this year.

“Daemen Day celebrates the college’s role as a key part of the Amherst community for seven decades,” said Daemen President Gary A. Olson. “We are proud to be Amherst’s college and to make a major contribution to the overall economy of the region every year.”

Free trolley rides will be provided from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. up and down Main Street to offer the Daemen community a chance to visit, shop, and dine at a range of establishments in the Williamsville business district. Complimentary Daemen Day in Amherst t-shirts will be handed out to the first 100 visitors at the Daemen Day booth located at the village plaza near Sweet Jenny’s.

During the celebration, students, faculty, and staff with college ID will be eligible for substantial discounts at businesses displaying Daemen Day in Amherst window signs. Maps displaying participating businesses and discounts will be distributed at a Daemen Day booth on campus and will also be available with a special app created for the event. Willy the Wildcat, the college mascot, will be in attendance, and hourly prizes and giveaways will be handed out at the village plaza booth.

Other Daemen Day in Amherst activities will include a wellness walking challenge for Daemen employees; student organization fair from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. outside the Wick Center; women’s soccer match against Lake Erie College at 4 p.m. at The Park School’s Karrer Field, home of Daemen’s men’s and women’s soccer teams; tailgate patio party from 4:30 to 6 p.m. at the Wick Center; and an outdoor movie showing of “Wonder Woman” at 8 p.m. on the campus front lawn.

For information on Daemen Founders Celebration events scheduled for Sept. 7 and 8, visit www.daemen.edu/founderscelebration.