Decades after graduating, Bobcats return year after year for Homecoming

The bricks in Athens will be filled with past, present and future bobcats for this year’s “All Roads Lead Home” Homecoming celebration.

There will be many events happening all week long to celebrate Homecoming. The City of Athens and Ohio University will team up to spread Bobcat spirit leading up to Saturday’s football game.

“Historically we can say about 3,000 alumni (come back to Athens),” Dawn Werry, a senior director of the Alumni Association, said in an email.

The Student Alumni Board will start the week on Tuesday with Pack the Pantry and Paint the Town Green. Pack the Pantry will be a competition between sororities and fraternities to help the Athens County Food Pantry by gathering as many canned goods as possible. Many local businesses and campus buildings will be decorated to show OU pride for Paint the Town Green.

Bobcats will also attempt to break a Guinness World Record for the largest cake walk on Wednesday afternoon. Only the first 500 people will be able to partake in the record breaking.

Starting Thursday morning, Alden Library will have a display of archives, including 20 tables covered with historic documents.

On Thursday night, the Marching 110 and The Singing Men of Ohio will perform at the annual Yell Like Hell Pep Rally. The event will draw in many people with the performances and OU giveaways.

The LGBT Center is celebrating National Coming Out Day with a SpeakOUt Rally on Friday at West Portico. All are welcome to come and share their coming out story.

Student Alumni Board will also be hosting a tour of campus on Friday at 2 p.m. for returning alumni. The tour will highlight the new additions to OU as well as take a look back at historical sites. Separate tours of residence halls will take place later on Friday.

On Friday evening, interested participants will have a chance to explore The Ridges with a historic hayride that offers free hot chocolate.

The Alumni Association's Annual Awards Gala will be Friday evening. The event honors distinguished alumni with a black-tie dinner. The Alumni Association “also welcomes student participation,” Werry said in an email.

A ribbon cutting ceremony for the Class Gateway Grand Re-opening will take place Saturday at 9 a.m. with speeches from university officials. Class Gateway was re-designed to include an ADA accessible ramp that leads to College Green.

The annual Homecoming parade, taking place Saturday at 10 a.m., will feature decorated floats, the Marching 110 and the Alumni Band. The parade will pass through Court Street this year and end near Templeton-Blackburn Alumni Memorial Auditorium.

“I make it a point to march with the 110 Alumni Band and perform in the halftime shows,” Doug Miller, a 110 alumnus who graduated in 1976 and is returning this year, said.

Donnajean DeSilva, an alumna who graduated in 1969, said she tries to make it to Athens from Columbus every year for Homecoming, adding that the parade is her favorite part of the weekend.

“I lived in Howard Hall, which faced College Green. The parade went by our dorm so I got a lot of good pictures.” DeSilva said.

Following the parade, OU students will be selling ceramic plates outside of Lindley Hall for a donation to help raise funds for the Southeast Ohio Foodbank and Southeast Ohio Regional Kitchen. Lunch will be available with the donation.

Bobcat Bash at Pepsi Tailgreat Park will be going on before the football game. The event will have food, drinks and games for all to celebrate before Ohio takes on Bowling Green.

“I can't wait to tear up the town with (my friends).” Miller said.

@jess_umbarger

ju992415@ohio.edu

IF YOU GO:

What: Pack the Pantry

When: 11 a.m., Tuesday

Where: Konneker Alumni Center front lawn

Admission: Free

What: Paint the Town Green

When: 11:30 a.m., Tuesday

Where: Athens and Ohio University offices and businesses

Admission: Free

What: Breaking a World Record is a Piece of Cake: World’s Largest Cake Walk

When: 5:30 p.m., Wednesday

Where: Baker 1st Floor Parking Lot

Admission: Free, but donations are accepted

What: Ohio University Archives Annual Homecoming Display

When: 10 a.m., Thursday

Where: Alden Library

Admission: Free

What: Yell Like Hell Pep Rally

When: 8:30 p.m., Thursday

Where: Baker 1st Floor Parking Lot

Admission: Free

What: National Coming Out SpeakOUt

When: 12 p.m., Friday

Where: West Portico (College Green)

Admission: Free

What: WGSS Reunion & Roundtables

When: 1 p.m., followed by a reception ay 4:30 p.m., Friday

Where: 31 S. Court St., Suite 103

Admission: Free

What: Campus Tours

When: 2 p.m., Friday

Where: Konneker Alumni Center

Admission: Free

What: Historical Hayrides

When: 5 p.m., Friday

Where: The Ridges

What: Alumni Association's Annual Awards Gala

When: 5:30 p.m., Friday

Where: Baker Ballroom

Admission: Free

What: Visit Your Residence Hall

When: 6 p.m., Friday

Where: Living Learning Center

Admission: Free

What: Ohio University Women's Ensemble Alumnae Homecoming Weekend

When: 7 p.m., Friday

Where: Multiple locations

Admission: $20

What: College of Health Sciences and Professions Alumni Breakfast

When: 8 a.m., Saturday

Where: Grover Center

Admission: Free

What: Class Gateway Grand Re-Opening

When: 9 a.m., Saturday

Where: Class Gateway on College Green

Admission: Free

What: Alumni Coffee Hour

When: 9:30 a.m., Saturday

Where: Schoonover Center Lobby

Admission: Free

What: Homecoming Parade

When: 10 a.m., Saturday

Where: Union Street and Court Street

Admission: Free

What: Learning Communities Open House

When: 11 a.m., Saturday

Where: Chubb Hall 060

Admission: Free

What: Empty Plates

When: 11 a.m., Saturday

Where: Out Sp. Lindley Park

Admission: Free

What: Voinovich School Party

When: 11 a.m., Saturday

Where: Tailgreat Park

Admission: Free

What: Student Senate Office Open House

When: 11 a.m., Saturday

Where: Baker Center 305

Admission: Free

What: HTC Homecoming Mixer

When: 11 a.m., Saturday

Where: 35 Park Place

Admission: Free

What: College of Business Homecoming Tailgate

When: 11:30 a.m., Saturday