Lamar University’s Homecoming week will be full of activities, events, and competitions for Lamar students and the Beaumont community to enjoy.
The week starts Sept. 23 with the official kick off.
“Mayor Becky Ames and the city council present a proclamation proclaiming Homecoming week for Lamar and the city of Beaumont, then President Evans will respond,” Courtney Horton, assistant to President Evans, said. “We will have the Lamar band, dance team and cheer team out, and it will be a big celebration to kick off Homecoming week.”
Canaan Daniels, associate director of programming and events, said the Royal Court candidates will be announced at the kick off.
“The significance of the Royal Court is to highlight the best leaders of your organization,” Daniels said. “Whether those are people that are new to the university, or people that have been in the university for four years. Freshman, sophomores, juniors and seniors have their own titles that they are competing for.”
To become a royal court candidate, students must be nominated by their organization. A form for those will be posted on Orgsync.
“Once they are nominated, they will be put onto a ballot as long as they meet the requirements of GPA and other factors which will all be on the form,” Daniels said. “We will announce the candidates on that Monday at the kick off, then people will vote on them.”
Voting begins on Sept. 25 and ends Sept. 26. Daniels said a voting link will be sent out to all students one on Orgsync or banner.”
“We will also have polling booths the week of Homecoming,” Daniels said. “Those will pop up around noon, at the Setzer Student Center, and then at our events as well, so people can go in and vote.”
All winners except for the king and queen will be announced at the bonfire, Sept. 27. The bonfire will start at 6:30 p.m., weather permitting.
The king and queen winners will be announced at halftime of the Homecoming football game, Sept. 28.
“They get the title, win sashes, crowns, and scepters that say Homecoming 2019 on them,” Daniels said. “We also always invite last year’s winners back to campus to announce the winners of the new king and queen.”
Another tradition that has returned is the Pep Rally on Sept. 27.
“Students can expect to hear and watch the dance team, the cheerleaders, the marching band and the football team,” Daniels said.
Along with old traditions, students can expect to see new events, too.
“In the past, they have had competitions here and there, but we are doing a whole week-long competition,” Daniels said. “On Tuesday, we will have what is called Cardinal Relays. There are going to be minute-to-win-it games, trivia questions and stations for every single person within a student organization that wants to participate. That Wednesday, from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., at the indoor pool, we are going to have battleships where student organizations can sink each other’s canoes.”
During these competitions, students can compete on behalf of their organizations to win prizes. There will be a point system for not only winning events, but also for attending events and voting during Homecoming.
“For the relay and battleships, we are giving away $300 for first place, $200 for second place and $100 for third place,” Daniels said. “We will have an overall winner for the organizations as well. At the end of the week, we will actually crown a winner of Homecoming for an organization. We are encouraging people to join organizations that way.”
Daniels said he also encourages organizations to join the Alumni Tailgate, Sept. 28.
“Students organizations can tailgate any game they want to,” Daniels said. “Right now, we have over 20 organizations that will be tailgating at it. Athletics has created a new area called Cardinal Alley. They have corporate sponsors, free food, giveaways and things of that sort. We always have live entertainment. The student section will have a DJ, free food, water, snacks and things of that sort as well.”
Other events include Hump Day, which is a Greek Life event, late-night breakfast and the Homecoming comedy show at 9 p.m., Sept. 26.
“Homecoming comedy show is a tradition that they have kind of started in the past couple years,” Daniels said. “We have not been able to announce the artist yet, but hopefully soon we will announce who the Homecoming acts are.”
All events are free to attend.
“The kick off is open to the community,” Daniels said. “Tuesday, Wednesday, and somewhat Thursday, are all student events. Anyone can attend and watch the student’s events, but to be a part of the competitions you have to be a part of a student org.”
The Homecoming game against Southland Conference rivals Stephen F. Austin will be Sept. 28, and there will be many activities leading up to the game, including the parade that will begin at 2 p.m.
“In 2014, President Evans asked me to head up a group that would plan Homecoming activities that would enhance the Homecoming day experience,” Horton said. “That is when we had our first Homecoming parade, and from that 2014 event has grown the art extravaganza and activities provided by the Lamar University art department, art studio and the Art Museum of South East Texas.”
Also scheduled is Big Red’s Ride Classic and Antique Car Show at Spindletop Museum.
“It is a free car show for anybody that has a car that qualifies,” Horton said. “They do not have to pre-register and we have great prizes. We also have shuttle busses running that will take people out from the parade and fan fest site, so people do not have to get back in their cars and drive out there.”
In addition to the regular tailgating, organizers will be bringing in Homecoming Fan Fest, Horton said.
“We will have live bands from noon to 5 p.m. including Champagne Room and The Flavor band,” she said. “We will have food vendors and activities provided by community organizations and museums.”
In the event of rain, all activities will be moved to the Montagne Center.
“A parade and a car show are outside activities, so we just have our fingers crossed,” Horton said.
Horton said that President Evans is committed to Homecoming being the day we celebrate Lamar.
“Our goal is to create a full day of activities for people who might not already be on our campus tailgating,” Horton said. “Homecoming is something everybody can be happy about — it is one big celebration for our students, our alumni, our community and our faculty and staff to celebrate Lamar University altogether in a fun way.”
For more information, visit www.lamar.edu/homecoming.