KU News Release

Homecoming Week features barbecue, medallion hunt and, of course, football

Update 10/23/08: More information about the homecoming parade, including route and road closures, has been added below.

LAWRENCE — Homecoming Week at the University of Kansas will feature a variety of fun events for students, faculty, staff and the Lawrence community. This year’s theme is Hail to the Hawks.

The week starts Sunday, Oct. 19, and culminates Saturday, Oct. 25, with the homecoming football game in Memorial Stadium. KU will play Texas Tech University. Game time is 11 a.m..

One of the first events during Homecoming Week will be the “Stuff the Bus” canned food drive on Oct. 19. A KU on Wheels bus will travel around town to collect nonperishable food items. Stops include Mrs. E’s, Joseph R. Pearson Hall and Dillons, 1015 W. 23rd St. Collected goods will be donated to local food banks.

The three-on-three basketball tournament begins Oct. 20, along with the “Quest for the Homecoming Grail” medallion hunt. Other events throughout the week include a mural competition, a homecoming barbecue and the Jayhawk Jingle contest.

Special events during Homecoming Week include a performance by comedian Gabriel Iglesias on Oct. 22 at the Lied Center and an appearance by KU alumna Jennifer Widerstrom, who appears on “American Gladiators,” on Oct. 24 at Wescoe Beach.

David Ambler, former vice chancellor for student affairs, will be honored Oct. 24 with the dedication of Student Recreation Fitness Center in his name. He will also serve as grand marshal of the homecoming parade, which will make its way down Jayhawk Boulevard Oct. 25.

The parade willl start at 9 a.m. at the Kansas Union and will end at the Chi Omega fountain. Oread Avenue between 12th and 13th streets will be closed for set-up from 7 a.m. to about 9:45 a.m. Jayhawk Boulevard will be closed to traffic during the parade, and the parking garage adjacent to the Kansas Union will only be accessible from Mississippi Street.

Also on Oct. 25, a pancake breakfast catered by Kris Cakes will take place from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. on the Stauffer-Flint Hall lawn. The homecoming parade will begin at 9 a.m., or two hours before kickoff of the KU-Texas Tech football game. The parade will feature elaborate floats designed by student organizations, the KU Spirit Squad, marching band and numerous campus and community organizations.

Homecoming events were organized by the Homecoming Steering Committee. More information and a detailed schedule of events can be found on the homecoming Web site.

-30-

The University of Kansas is a major comprehensive research and teaching university. University Relations is the central public relations office for KU's Lawrence campus.