As anyone who has ever dreaded back-to-school sales knows, August is about saying goodbye to summer.

Auburn residents are saying their goodbyes to summer in the form of an evening block party at Town Creek Park. The Farewell Summer Block Party will be held August 5 at 6 p.m. The festivities include live music, door prizes and goody bags full of coupons donated by local businesses.

Attendees will enjoy a free concert by MUSE, and various Auburn businesses have included coupons and door prizes that will be given away at the event. The block party is being held the night before Alabama’s sales tax holiday weekend to encourage citizens to shop locally when looking for back-to-school necessities.

“It’s positive for the retailers,” said Mayor Bill Ham. “Support is shown by these businesses for the community.”

Chick-Fil-A on Magnolia Avenue is sponsoring the event and will have a catering booth with food for citizens to enjoy. Chick-Fil-A Operations Manager Bob McFadden said the purpose of the block party was to promote shopping in Auburn and local businesses.

Families as well as students are welcome at the city event. According to Becky Richardson, director of Auburn Parks and Recreation, the block party is a family-friendly summer celebration that will benefit both local businesses and citizens.

With the summer coming to a close and students returning to school, the coupons and promotional sales tax holiday specials are sure to alleviate school-related costs for Auburn residents.

“I don’t know if these businesses will see an overall spike in their sales because they’re doing this, but I think it’s a community goodwill gesture, as well as promoting what they sell, and their theme and that sort of thing,” Ham said. “It’s just an effort to be able to bring a large portion of the community together at one time.”