Northwest Missouri State University’s annual Homecoming celebration returns as “A Century of Homecomings,” with activities and events planned Oct. 13-19 for students, employees, alumni and friends of the University.
The celebration begins Sunday, October 13, with the hanging of the banners at the JW Jones Student Union and concludes Saturday, October 19, with the Homecoming football game. Highlights include the Homecoming parade, Bell of ’48 ringing, Variety Show, International Flag-Raising Ceremony and the 50th-year reunion for the Class of 1974.
Details about all Homecoming activities, including participant entry forms, are available at nwmissouri.edu/getinvolved/
Homecoming Parade
The annual Homecoming Parade begins at 9 am, Saturday, October 19, at the corner of Ray and College Avenue. It will proceed east on Fourth Street and end at Main Street. It traditionally features more than 100 entries, including marching bands and floats sponsored by campus and community organizations and businesses.
Additionally, Northwest alumni are invited to the Homecoming Welcome prior to the parade at 8 am at the Michael L. Faust Center for Alumni and Friends. Classes of 1974, 1979, 1984, 1989, 1994, 1999, 2004, 2009, 2014 and 2019 are encouraged to visit the Faust Center or the Bearcat Zone tailgate in College Park to pick up their commemorative Homecoming button and reunion year ribbon.
Athletic events
The annual M-Club Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony is at 6:30 pm, Friday, October 18, in the JW Jones Student Union Ballroom. This year’s individual inductees are Erik Petersen, football; Ryan Jones, football; Kira Lazenby, soccer; Kendra Smith Porter, softball and Amanda Urquhart, softball. The 2007 and 2008 Bearcat football squads also will be inducted. Tickets are $35 and may be purchased online by contacting Brenda Lutz, Northwest’s assistant athletic director for business and finance, by email at blutz@nwmissouri.edu or phone at 660.562.1977.
All fans are invited after the conclusion of the Homecoming parade to the Bearcat Zone, at the Raymond J. Courter College Park Pavilion where the admission is free, and a meal is available to purchase. The Bearcat football game tickets may be purchased online at bearcatsports.com/tickets.
Additional Bearcat athletic contests during the week include the soccer team welcoming Rogers State at 1 pm, Sunday, October 13, at Bearcat Pitch, and the Bearcat golf team hosting the Midwest Classic at Mozingo Lake Golf Course, beginning at 3:40 pm, Monday, October 14.
Northwest Homecoming History
Homecoming at Northwest is a week-long celebration each fall that features athletic events, entertainment and other opportunities for community members to show their Bearcat spirit.
The school’s first general Homecoming took place October 10, 1924, in conjunction with an annual district teachers’ meeting at Northwest. The weekend included a Friday evening social gathering at the Nodaway County Courthouse, the Bearcat football game on Saturday and a dance that evening in the Administration Building gymnasium.
In 1941, Northwest selected its first Homecoming queen. During the second half of the decade, Homecoming became an annual event on the campus, and several of the institution’s modern-day traditions were born. The Variety Show and house decorations were added to the festivities while the parade grew to include more marching bands, large floats, jalopies and clowns. The weekend ended with a Homecoming dance featuring big bands.
On the Friday of Homecoming week, all classes are canceled and students participate in a variety of activities on the campus. The tradition dates back to October 22, 1915, when students walked out of classes and declared the day an unscheduled holiday. Early Walkout Days featured all-school picnics and hikes. In 1977, after an absence of several years, the university reestablished Walkout Day and set it as an annual event on the Friday of Homecoming week.
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