Here’s everything you need to know about Ball State University’s 2024 homecoming week, themed Cardinal Roundup!
Royalty Voting
Over the past few weeks, student organizations have nominated candidates for homecoming king and queen. This will be the 86th consecutive year that Ball State University has crowned a homecoming queen. Voting will open on October 2 and close on October 5. Anyone with a Ball State Outlook email can vote for royalty, but only once. The online votes will determine the top ten candidates for king and queen. The king and queen will then be determined by a panel of judges and crowned at Air Jam!Â
Emcee Auditions
Want a chance to emcee a homecoming event like the Bed Races or Air Jam? Head on down to the Alumni Center library on October 9 to audition! Applications must be submitted by Thursday, October 3. After applying, you will be contacted about an audition time slot.Â
Department Decorating Contest
Departments across campus will be showing their homecoming spirit by decorating their offices! The deadline for departments to enter is Monday, October 14, judging will occur on Friday, October 18 and the winners will be announced on Monday, October 21. Encourage your department to enter and offer to help them decorate!Â
Homecoming Food Truck Festival
Kick off the official homecoming week by grabbing dinner at a food truck with some friends in the Brown Family Amphitheater on Monday, October 21 starting at 6:00 p.m. Entry to the event is free, and food and drinks will be available for purchase.Â
Student Talent Search
Do you have a special talent that you want to share? Fill out an entry form and submit an audition video for the student talent search by Thursday, October 3. Each performance must be 2 to 4 minutes in length. Participants must be full-time undergraduate students during the fall 2024 semester and can only compete once in each category. The talent search is split into eight categories: male vocal, female vocal, instrumental, dance, musical group, acoustic, freestyle and original composition.Â
The top five entries from each category will perform at Pruis Hall on Tuesday, October 22 at 7:00 p.m. Each category winner will receive a $500 award, and the overall winner will receive an additional $500 award. All awards apply to the spring 2025 semester and are provided by the Ball State University Alumni Association.Â
Blood Drive
Make a difference with the Versiti Blood Center of Indiana by donating blood on Wednesday, October 23 between 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Sign up for a donation appointment by heading to their website.
Campus Dinner
Head over to North Dining on Wednesday, October 23 at 5:30 p.m. to enjoy a homecoming dinner, complete with a themed menu and decorations by Ball State Dining Services. For additional information about the campus dinner, call 765-285-1408 or email homecoming@bsu.edu.Â
Air Jam
Air Jam, a lip sync/dance battle between student organizations, is Ball State Homecoming’s most popular event – and it’s been going strong since 1987! All organizations must submit entry forms to be put in the performance lottery. The lottery drawing will happen on Instagram Live at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, September 26. The first 20 teams drawn from the lottery will compete at 7:30 p.m. in Emens Auditorium on Thursday, October 24.Â
Tickets will be available for groups to purchase until Thursday, October 3. The contact person listed on the advance group ticket form will be able to pick up the group tickets starting Friday, October 11. Individual tickets and tickets not ordered during the presale will be available for purchase on Wednesday, October 9 at the Emens Box Office. All tickets are $15 and you must have a ticket to see the show.Â
Bed Races
Get ready for the 35th annual Bed Race! The beds are provided, so all you need to bring is $25 to enter your team. Teams must be made up of five people – four people to push the bed and one to ride the bed down Riverside Avenue. Teams race two at a time on a 100-yard course on Friday, October 25 at noon. The first-place team in each division receives a plaque, and a trophy is given to the team with the best costume and the overall winner.Â
Chase Charlie 5K
Put on your running shoes! This year’s Chase Charlie 5K starts at 8:45 a.m. on Saturday, October 26 by Muncie City Hall. The race ends at Emens Auditorium on Riverside Avenue, where you can stay and watch the Homecoming Parade. Pre-registration check-in and walk-up registration will be at Emens Auditorium starting at 6:45 a.m. on October 26, but it is recommended to pre-register for the race on their website.Â
Homecoming Parade
One of the longest-standing homecoming traditions, this year’s Homecoming Parade will take place on Saturday, October 26 at 9:00 a.m. Lineup begins at 7:45 a.m. at Muncie Central High School. All entries must be decorated to fit the Cardinal Roundup theme. Apply for an entry on Ball State’s website. Campus entries are $50 and community entries are $100.Â
CharlieTown Tailgate
The Saturday festivities continue at the Alumni Center at 1:30 p.m. for the CharlieTown Homecoming Tailgate! Get all dressed up and bring your friends to check out the pep rally, food trucks, and drink vendors, and to take in the Cardinal Spirit.Â
The Football Game
Grab your tickets for this year’s Homecoming game to watch the Ball State Cardinals take on the Northern Illinois Huskies at Scheumann Stadium! For home games, all students need to bring is their Ball State ID card. Kick-off is at 3:30 p.m., but make sure to get there early to enjoy the tailgate and grab a good seat.Â
The Homecoming Steering Committee is available to answer any questions you may have that we might not have covered here. Are you ready for Homecoming week? We sure are!