Mizzou Celebrates a Century of Coming Home
Community, campus, students and alumni to celebrate 100 years of Homecoming tradition
October 11th, 2011
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Students, alumni, and fans from the birthplace of the Homecoming tradition will celebrate a century of coming home, uniting past with present in a monumental celebration of school spirit, service and community. The tradition of Homecoming at MU began in 1911 when Athletic Director Chester Brewer made a plea asking alumni to “come home” for the annual football game against the University of Kansas. One hundred years later, Mizzou Homecoming is MU’s hallmark tradition.
“For a century, the Mizzou Alumni Association (MAA) has been involved in the Homecoming tradition,” said Todd McCubbin, executive director of the MAA. “This year we’re excited to commemorate the past and engage alumni to ensure Homecoming remains a tradition for the next 100 years.”
This year, Mizzou Homecoming events have been ongoing since Oct. 1. On that day, more than 325 MU students and 19 regional MAA chapters participated in the Mizzou Homecoming Day of Service. During the four-day Mizzou Blood Drive held last week, MU students set a record by collecting 4,839 units of blood. The MAA expects that number to rise above 5,000 after satellite site totals are collected. Also, the MAA collected 63,335 pounds of food, or 47,786 meals for the local food bank.
The Homecoming weekend kicks off Friday, Oct. 14 when the MAA opens their inaugural Homecoming Headquarters outside of Reynolds Alumni Center on the corner of Tiger Avenue and Conley Avenue on the MU campus. At the headquarters, visitors can pick up information, buy homecoming merchandise, socialize with other alumni and friends, and take hourly campus tours by the MU Tour Team.
Beginning at 6 p.m. Friday, MU fraternity and sorority members will decorate Greek Town as part of Campus Decorations. Thousands of students and alumni will gather in Greek Town to watch skits put on by the fraternities and sororities. At 7:30 p.m., a Mizzou Spirit Rally will be held at the corner of Richmond and Burnam with appearances from Marching Mizzou and MU Spirit Squads.
Homecoming festivities begin Saturday at 8:30 a.m. when the 100th anniversary Homecoming Parade starts on campus and winds through downtown Columbia. The parade will feature Marching Mizzou, several area high school marching bands, and floats designed by MU student organizations and community members. The parade will be led by the family of Chester Brewer, “Father of Homecoming”, who is being honored as the Homecoming Grand Marshal posthumously. For the parade route and live streaming video beginning at 8:30 a.m., visit: http://mizzou.com/homecoming.
Immediately following the parade, thousands of students and alumni will gather on Tiger Plaza for the Romp, Chomp and Stomp tailgate. The tailgate will run from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Tickets cost $10 for adults and admission is free for children 10 years and younger. A few hundred tickets will be available at the door.
Homecoming festivities will culminate at 1 p.m. for the Tiger football game against Iowa State. The game will feature an appearance from the Marching Mizzou alumni band and the 2011 Homecoming Court at halftime. Single game tickets are on sale at mutigers.com or 1-800-CAT-PAWS.
For a complete listing of homecoming events, visit http://mizzou.com/homecoming.