Homecoming rolls around every year as a chance for students and alumni to come together and celebrate Elizabethtown College and their time at the beloved institution. Last year, thousands of people from Etown’s past and present celebrated the college with several autumn events. The alumni were invited to an outdoor Oktoberfest party with food, live music and games, with a chance to see the people who they spent the most time with for their undergraduate years.
The biggest event for students during homecoming is the annual parade. Clubs and organizations can build their own floats to use in the parade, with a chance to let their creativity shine. Like usual, there will be a float building event that students can visit and help decorate floats while they hang out with fellow members of the Etown community.
The parade will be at 11 a.m on Saturday, Sept. 28. There will be plenty of unique floats from on-campus clubs, and there will be candy. The event will be filmed by ECTV-40, Etown’s television station, and broadcast live with two anchors. At the conclusion of the parade, Elizabethtown College President Betty Rider will officially kick off Homecoming Day in front of the Raffensperger Alumni House on College Avenue.
Another annual tradition is the homecoming fair, a chance for campus clubs and organizations to put together tables to share information about themselves. It’s also a fundraiser, as they can also sell or give away merchandise. The fair is an enjoyable event for everyone, even for local prospective students who are looking to learn more about life on Etown’s campus.
This year’s festivities will be extra special because this year marks the 125th anniversary of the opening of the college. Not only are the parade, fair and other annual events going on, but the college is also offering special themed events to celebrate Etown’s 125th birthday.
From Sept. 26 to Sept. 29,the High Library will be hosting an escape room game. The story this year is that Truman, Etown’s famous therapy doodle, visited Etown’s birthday party and took one of the gifts. Participants have to find the gift and re-wrap it.
Groups of two to six people can sign up for one of the 30-minute time slots for free. The escape room will be open from 6 p.m.to 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, and noon to 5 p.m. on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
There will be several athletics events during homecoming weekend. Etown’s intramural ultimate frisbee team, the Jelly Swatter,s will play a match against a group of alumni on Wolf Field from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.on Sept. 28.
The Bowers Center will be offering self-guided tours for alumni who never got to experience the relatively new sports and wellness center as students.
Etown improv group Mad Cow will be holding a show in celebration of Etown’s 125th anniversary in the Gibble Auditorium in the Masters Center at 7 p.m. on Sept. 27 for a fun, family-friendly comedy show.
Another homecoming tradition is FEST, a celebration for all alumni. There will be special reunions for graduating classes ending in four and nine (1979, 1984, etc.).
Alumni who graduated 50 or more years ago can visit the Return to the Nest Tent that will offer refreshments from the local Moo-Duck Brewery, live music by the Down to Earth Band and more activities. Alumni who were athletes can visit a special tent just for athletes. The price is $25 for Express Check-In, or $30 at the door. Alumni can pre-register for the event until Sept.20th.
Students, alumni, professors or other members of the Etown community can find something to do at homecoming.
