Cool mornings and vibrant fall colors are sure signs that Northern Arizona University’s Homecoming celebration is right around the corner. Mark your calendars—the festivities begin Monday, Oct. 23, and the fun doesn’t stop until the big game concludes the night of Saturday, Oct. 28.
The week is filled with a variety of student, alumni and community events—the dedicatee banquet, carnival, Lumberjack contest, pep rally, alumni breakfast and parade, to name a few—all leading up to Saturday’s football game against Sacramento State.
Below is the Homecoming week schedule at a glance. A complete list of events is available at nau.edu/homecoming. Events marked with an asterisk are for students only.
Tuesday, Oct. 24
- Homecoming Dedicatee Banquet, 6 p.m., Ashurst Auditorium
Judy Manor, assistant director of shuttle services, was selected as the Homecoming Dedicateeby leaders of student organizations from throughout campus for her dedication to providing exceptional service to the university and students. The community is invited to a public banquet in her honor. Tickets are $15 each and are available through the Central Ticket Office.
Thursday, Oct. 26
- Homecoming Traditions Day*, 4-10 p.m., Central Quad
Traditions day will include a chili cook-off, beard contest, pep rally, bonfire and the Mr. Lumberjack competition. - Student Carnival*, 4-10 p.m., Union West Lawn, bring NAU student ID
- NAU Volleyball vs. Portland State, 7 p.m., Rolle Activity Center
Friday, Oct. 27
- Homecoming Pep Rally, 5-7 p.m., Heritage Square, Downtown Flagstaff
- Lumberjack Splash Bash*, 7-11 p.m., Wall Aquatic Center
Saturday, Oct. 28
Homecoming Day
- Flannels and Flapjacks Breakfast*, 8-10 a.m., Central Quad
Students will enjoy a free pancake buffet while supplies last. Bring your NAU student ID. - Café au Louie, 9-11 a.m., 1899 Bar & Grill
Join classmates and friends at Café Au Louie for a buffet-style True Blue NAU breakfast. Following breakfast, the outdoor grandstands will offer a close-up view of the Homecoming parade. A $10 per person breakfast is provided and a cash bar will be available. RSVP to save your seat. - Homecoming Parade, 11 a.m., NAU campus perimeter
Starting at the corner of Knoles Drive and DuPont Avenue, this year’s “Home is where the Lumberjacks are” theme will come to life as student-built floats, high school bands and more wind through the streets of campus during the annual parade on Homecoming Day. Free public parking is available in the San Francisco Parking Garage. A parade route and parking map is available online. - NAU Volleyball vs. Portland State, noon, Rolle Activity Center
- MakerLab Open House, noon-2 p.m., Cline Library
Cline Library will be hosting an open house for the MakerLab with an opportunity to see 3-D printing and 3-D printed items. Stop by and check out the expanded workshop space, electronic prototyping kits and more. - Tailgating, 1-4 p.m., Walkup Skydome parking lot
The tailgate will feature food, games, giveaways and fun for the whole family. Shuttle service will be available to the Skydome parking lot from the San Francisco Parking Garage following the parade. - NAU Football vs. Sacramento State, 4 p.m., Walkup Skydome
Wear your gold NAU gear and cheer on the Lumberjacks as they take on Sacramento State at 4 p.m. during the Homecoming gold-out game. Buy tickets online or contact the NAU Central Ticket Office at (928) 523-5661. The game is expected to sell out, so buy tickets early.