Top 10 Things to Look Forward to: Homecoming 2015

September 18th and 19th will mark an influx of alumni and friends of Cornell to campus as the university celebrates Homecoming 2015. Whether you’re a current student, faculty or staff member, or an alumnus happy to spend a few days back on the Hill, there are events for everyone to get excited about. Here are some of the things to look forward to this weekend!

10. Homecoming 5K

For those who enjoy starting the day early by getting outside, the Homecoming 5K starts at 8:30 am on Saturday. The course through the F.R. Newman Arboretum in the Cornell Plantations highlights some of Cornell’s famous beautiful scenery.

9. Homecoming Shirt Giveaway

Undergraduates as well as professional and graduate students can pick up free Homecoming t-shirts from a tent in the Lynah parking lot starting at 1 pm on Saturday. Homecoming t-shirts have become a tradition, and the first shirt pick-ups are always accompanied by anticipation for the unveiling of each class’ design.

8. Passion Pit with Robert Delong Concert

Indie pop/electronica group Passion Pit will perform in Barton Hall on Saturday at 8 pm in what could be the biggest campus concert of the year. Electronic artist Robert Delong will open.

7. Glee Club Concert/50th Reunion of 1966 SE Asia tour

The Cornell Glee Club’s annual Homecoming concert is always a great place to get nostalgic listening to Cornell school songs, as well as a variety of other music. This year’s concert will take place on Saturday at 8 pm in Bailey Hall and marks a special anniversary as members of the landmark 1966 Glee Club tour of Southeast Asia reunite, conducted by their former director, Thomas Sokol. With the backing of the U.S. State Department, the 1966 tour lasted three months and was heard by an estimated 100 million people in ten countries.

6. Fireworks and Laser Light Show

The traditional Friday-night Homecoming pep rally, the Fireworks and Laser Light Show, will take place at Schoellkopf Field on Friday at 8 pm. In addition to a spectacular fireworks and laser light finale, expect a showcase of performances by some of Cornell’s best performing groups, as well as live music from Go Go Gadjet. Get there early to grab the best seats!

Credit: Lindsay France/University Photography

5. Big Red Fan Festival

The Crescent Parking Lot will be a busy place leading up to the football game on Saturday. There will be activities for fans of all ages, including science demonstrations, college showcases, a chance to “Pie an Athlete,” photo booths, and “Meet Miss Minnie,” a chance to meet the Cornell Vet School’s smallest equine. The event runs from 12-3 pm, when the football game is scheduled to begin.

4. Tailgating

There will be no shortage of tailgating happening on campus Saturday. Groups such as Cornell Athletics, Mosaic and Diversity Alumni Programs, the Johnson School, Cornell Law, the School of Hotel Administration, Young Alumni, and the Big Red Band Alumni will be tailgating in or next to the Crescent Parking Lot. Elsewhere on campus, other groups will also be hosting tailgates, such as Fraternity and Sorority Tailgate at Alumni Fields and the ILR School in the Ives courtyard. Join in on one of America’s most beloved football game-day traditions and enjoy good food and the company of a huge cross-section of Cornellians.

3. Touchdown Sculpture and 1915 Plaza Dedication

This year marks the 100th aniversary of Cornell’s 1915 National Championship and undefeated football season. To honor this achievement, a plaza will be dedicated at 11:30 am Saturday in front of Teagle Hall. The centerpiece of the new plaza will be a sculpture of Touchdown the Bear, dedicated to the four live bear cubs who served as Cornell’s mascots in 1915, 1916, 1919 and 1936.

2. President Garrett’s Inauguration and Celebratory Picnic

On Friday, Cornell will inaugurate a new president, Elizabeth Garrett. Garrett is just the 13th president of the university and is the first woman to hold the job. The event will begin with a processional from Ho Plaza to the Arts Quad, followed by a ceremony. If you want to attend this historic occasion, make sure to be in your seat on the Arts Quad by 9:45 am. Following the inauguration at 12 pm, there will be a picnic on the Ag Quad. Come celebrate the making of more Cornell history.

Credit: Robert Barker / University Photography

1. The Homecoming Football Game

Finally, no Homecoming at Cornell would be complete without the Homecoming football game. This year’s game will take place at Schoellkopf Field on Saturday at 3 pm, as the Big Red take on the Bucknell Bison. Wear red and prepare to cheer your loudest with fellow students and alumni!

For even more events, such as movies at the Cornell Cinema, Skate Night, stargazing at the Fuertes Observatory, the Democracy and Inequality Faculty Panel and the 150 Ways to Say Cornell Exhibit, check out Cornell’s Homecoming website. One of the things that makes Cornell special is that it always has something for everyone, and Homecoming is no exception!

Featured Image Credit: Jason Koski/University Photography

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