Homecoming is one of the most important events here at AU. It is a time for the community, faculty, staff, students and alumni to come together and celebrate the university. This year homecoming week takes place Oct. 8-14 and there are many activities to try out and enjoy.

1. Window painting

Homecoming week always starts off with the annual tradition of window painting! On Oct. 8 from 2-4 p.m. different student organizations paint the windows in the Student Center Lobby. Then on Oct. 9-10 from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. students can vote on which window they like the best! Take your friends walk through the Student Center and vote on your favorite windows!

2.Banana Splittin’

Banana Splittin’ is AU’s huge banana split eating contest! There are three different categories: best costume, fastest eater and most creative eating style. College Avenue gets blocked off and a ton of tables are set up for all the different groups that sign up to join in the competition. This year the contest takes place on Oct. 11 at 6 p.m. Grab some friends and sign up or just come and watch your fellow students hilariously eat banana splits!

3. Leveling Up

The first theatre production of the year takes place during homecoming this year on Oct. 11-14 at 7:30 p.m. in the Studio Theatre. The production Leveling Up is about a group of roommates obsessed with their video games. Their obsession lands one of them a job with the NSA which leads to a struggle differentiating between what is real and what is virtual. Support the students who worked so hard for this production and get a ticket for one of the shows!

4. Powder Puff football game

Support the girls of AU at the annual Powder Puff football game on Oct. 12 at 9 p.m. in Jack Miller Stadium! Girls of different organizations all get together to play flag football as their friends cheer them on from the stands!

5. Homecoming Battleship Tournament

The Homecoming Battleship Tournament consists of teams of four battling in canoes and each team tries to sink the other’s ship by throwing buckets of water into other canoes. The tournament will take place on Oct. 13 in the Rec Center Pool from 6-10 p.m. You can watch as people throw water at each other or round up three friends and join in the fun!

6. 5k Fun Run

If you’re looking to get some exercise this homecoming join the 5k Fun Run on Oct. 14. Check in starts at 8:30 a.m. in the Rec Center, walkers step off at 9:30 a.m. and runners step off at 10 a.m. If you need some motivation, everyone who participates in the 5k will be entered into a raffle for a chance to win a prize pack!

7. Women’s Tennis

Go out and support the women’s tennis team Oct. 14 in the Deborah Liebert Karl Tennis Complex at 10 a.m. Come cheer on the Ashland Eagles face the Grand Valley State Lakers in Saturday morning’s match.

8. Football Chapel

Whether you’re religious or not you can join in the homecoming tradition of the football’s chapel service. Players and coaches hold a chapel service before the Homecoming game on Oct. 14 in the Jack and Deb Miller Chapel from 10-10:15 a.m.

9. Game Day send off

Join the community and send off the Ashland Eagles to their homecoming game between Jack and Deb Miller Chapel and Founders Hall on Oct. 14 at 10:15 a.m. The band, cheerleaders, fans, and students all join to uphold this tradition and the first 100 people will be given a free stadium seat cushion!

10. President’s Coffee

Have a chat with President Carlos Campo and his wife on Oct. 14 from 10:30-11:30 a.m. in the Eagles Nest! It is a very relaxed environment and is a great way to start a conversation with Campo! There is also breakfast, a raffle, photo magnets and bam bam sticks!

11. WRDL tailgate

Bring your friends and stop by our campus radio station’s tailgate tent before the homecoming game on Oct. 14 from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. on the Jack Miller Stadium Lawn. WRDL will be having a good time playing music, providing food, giveaways, and a live pregame show!

12. Pizza, Pizza, Pizza

If you love pizza, this is the event for you. CAB’s Pizza, Pizza, Pizza event serves you pizza from Ashland’s pizzeria’s back to back! Go and eat a bunch of pizza, and maybe find your new favorite, before heading into the game! The event takes place on Oct. 14 from 11:30-1 p.m. in the Amstutz parking lot.

13. Football game

Of course you can always go to the biggest event of homecoming: the homecoming game! Join the campus and community on Oct. 14 at 1 p.m. in the Jack Miller Stadium to cheer on the Ashland Eagles and they take on the Michigan Tech Huskies!

14. Purple Eagle Silent Auction

You can join the Alumni Association’s tradition on Oct. 14 from 3:30-5:45 p.m. in the Alumni room in Upper Convo and participate in the Purple Eagle Silent Auction. The auction is a fundraiser that silently auctions of over 250 items. Even if you do not get anything from the auction, you can still go and enjoy the music, food, and company. Plus, there will also be a raffle with two different prizes you could win!

15. Free Movie Night

To wrap up Homecoming on Oct. 14 at 8 p.m. there will be a free movie night in the Student Center Auditorium. The show being played is Despicable Me 3, so grab some friends, some snacks, and end your homecoming off right with a cute movie night!

Have a safe and fun homecoming weekend!