Homecoming weekend at Indiana University is one of the busiest times of the year, with alumni from all over the world returning to campus. Looking for ways to get involved in the fun? Here are this year’s events:
Homecoming Parade
Homecoming weekend will kick off with the Homecoming Parade at 5:30 p.m. Oct. 20 on Woodlawn Avenue. During the parade, students and alumni will line Woodlawn Avenue between 13th and 17th Streets. The parade will feature band performances, cheerleaders, drill teams and floats.
Eryn Wisler, senior associate director of student engagement for the IU Alumni Association, said the IUAA will not cancel the parade unless the weather is dangerous. If IUAA does have to cancel the parade due to lightning or other dangerous weather, it will not be rescheduled. Wisler said if rain is forecast for Oct. 20, participants should bring their own ponchos, towels and blankets.
Hoosier Hysteria
Directly after the Homecoming Parade, fans can get an inside look into IU’s men’s and women’s basketball teams at Hoosier Hysteria. This event will take place at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 20 at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. Attendees can participate in different competitions and meet this season’s basketball players and coaches. Men’s Basketball Head Coach Mike Woodson and Women’s Basketball Head Coach Teri Moren will also address the crowd during the event. While admission is free, organizers are encouraging fans to donate a non-perishable food item at one of the Hoosier Hills Food Bank collection bins at the beginning of the event.
Neal-Marshall Alumni Club Reunion
The Neal-Marshall Alumni Club will celebrate their 26th Homecoming reunion starting at 6 p.m. Oct. 20 at various locations across campus. The reunion will kick off with a block party on Eagleson Avenue with alumni mixers, live music and a fish fry hosted by the Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center.
Neal-Marshall Alumni and students can also attend the “Crimson Carpet, Black Tie” banquet and awards ceremony at 6 p.m. Oct. 21 in the Indiana Memorial Union’s Alumni Hall. After the banquet, attendees can also attend an after party with music and dancing in the IMU Solarium.
Hoosier Huddle Homecoming Tailgate Party
Before the homecoming football game, the IU Alumni Association will host a tailgate party at 9 a.m. Oct. 21 at DeVault Alumni Center. Located directly across from Memorial Stadium, this is a fun way to kick off game day. There will be food, entertainment and other festivities. Attendees must register by Oct. 11 to attend.
Jerry Seinfeld
Award winning comedian Jerry Seinfeld, best known for his sitcom “Seinfeld,” will perform two shows at 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Oct. 20 in the IU Auditorium. Seinfeld will be performing his newest stand-up routine for IU audiences. Tickets start at $57 dollars and are available on the IU Auditorium website.
La Finta Giardiniera
The Jacobs School of Music Opera and Ballet Theater will perform “La Finta Giardiniera (The Pretend Gardener)” at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 20 and 21 in the Musical Arts Center. The performance follows the main character, Violante, and her servant as they attempt to escape Violante’s ex-boyfriend, Belfiore. The two disguise themselves as gardeners in a small-town mayor’s home. Tickets start at $10 for students and $15 for community members and can be purchased on the Opera and Ballet Theater website.
IU vs. Rutgers Football game
The culmination of Homecoming weekend is the homecoming football game. IU will take on Rutgers at 12 p.m. Oct. 21 at the Memorial Stadium. There are discounted tickets and parking bundles available for IUAA members through the IU Athletic Ticket Office.
