I think we can all agree October has been a busy month between Midterms, Family Weekend, philanthropies, football games, and Halloween. But the best week of the semester is finally here, the 101st University of Arizona Homecoming! The fun starts the 18nd, lasting until the 24th with reunions, campus tours, tailgating and much more!
This is also a very special time of year for the Greek community at U of A because they are honoring their 100th year of Greek life. The fraternity and sorority community has been home to 90 organizations since it began in 1900 and there are over 50,000 alumni who have been members of our Wildcat Greek Community! The Arizona Alumni provides the infrastructure for the UA Alumni Association and oversees the events and activities of more than 40 alumni chapters and clubs across the country.
Sunday the 18th at 5:30 pm the UA Alumni Association and the Student Alumni Ambassadors keep the Lighting of ‘A’ mountain going to kick off the Homecoming week festivities. Students, alumni, and the Tucson community come together at the top of Main Gate Garage to enjoy free food and refreshments to watch the ‘A’ glow over Tucson to signify the beginning of the 101st Homecoming! What could be better than hanging out with Wilbur and Wilma while singing the “Bear Down’ anthem along side the Arizona marching band and UA cheerleaders?
The festivities continue on Friday October 23rd 11:30 am to 1:00 pm at the UA Mall on the East side of Old Main with a barbecue, live DJ, photo booth, giveaways, and much more! Join together with friends, alumni, faculty, and students to show your Wildcat pride and love for our University! Open seating will be available for general admission ticket purchasers and tables will be reserved for colleges attending the event. Special seating for the Class of 1965 will also be reserved so make sure to get a spot early to enjoy the afternoon!
After you get your barbeque fix during the day, head on over to the West Side of Old Main at 8:00 pm for the Homecoming Bonfire and Pep Rally. The crowning of the 2015 Homecoming king and queen will begin at 8:10 pm which starts with a march from the Bear Down pep rally at Main Gate to the Old Main Fountain. The bonfire starts immediately after the crowning.
The most treasured Homecoming tradition of the entire week is the Parade on Saturday the 24th, which includes over 50 floats, homecoming royalty, and the Arizona marching band. The former UA basketball players and Grammy-winning music producer Harvey Mason Jr. ’90 and his family will serve as grand marshals of the parade. Also during the parade is the Wildcat for Life Tailgate Party on the corner of Cherry and University to get ready for the game later that afternoon. A new addition to Homecoming this year is the Food Truck Village, which is located in front of the Henry Koffler Chemistry Building with 10 food trucks on site. They will open at 8 am and close 30 minutes after the start of the game.
Edited by: Meryl Engle