UC's Homecoming is Saturday, Oct. 6

Photos By: Lisa Ventre and Dottie Stover

   Make your plans now to join the University of Cincinnati's Homecoming celebration on Saturday, Oct. 6. The biggest red-and-black party of the year culminates with the Bearcats football game versus Miami of Ohio at 7 p.m. in Nippert Stadium.

Last year's Homecoming king and queen were UC students Chizi Igwe (left) and Rohan Hemani.

Thousands will line the streets near campus for a 3 p.m. pre-game parade, a perennially popular event for alumni, students, employees and their families. Remember to get parked early as nearby streets will close for the parade from 2-4 p.m. (Get complete parade route and street closing details.) (Get additional parking and tailgating details.)

Following Saturday's parade, fans can make their way to the Myers Alumni Center for the Bearcats Blitz and tailgate, where they'll find big-screen TVs, refreshments, prize raffles and the starting point for the team's 4:30 p.m. Catwalk to the stadium.

Groups from more than 100 different colleges and organizations will be welcoming back thousands of lifelong Bearcats, all of them invited to turn back the clock as part of this year's Homecoming theme — "We Love Lucy: A Flashback to Yesteryear." Beyond recalling Lucille Ball, Lucy is also the name of UC's real-life binturong mascot, which will also be making the short trip up Vine Street from the Cincinnati Zoo to visit campus.
 
Given the retro theme, the  game fittingly finds the Bearcats playing the Redhawks in  one of the oldest football rivalries west of the Allegheny Mountains. The Bearcats matchup with Miami dates back to 1888, representing the first collegiate football game played in the state of Ohio. The game is sold out.

The Bearcats and Miami Redhawks rivalry dates back to 1888. This shot was taken in 1924 inside Nippert Stadium, soon after it was expanded to 12,000 seats. Today, the stadium holds more than 35,000.

This year also marks the 117th Battle for the Victory Bell, a black and white bell that has served as the game's traveling trophy since 1890. While Miami leads the all-time series 59-50-7, UC has won the last six in a row, including last year's 27-0 shutout at Yager Stadium in Oxford.

Fans of TV's "Amazing Race" will see familiar faces coming down Clifton Avenue during the parade. One of UC's outstanding young alumni, Cindy Chiang Halvorsen, Eng '04, and her husband, Ernie, will be parade grand marshals after becoming this year's "Amazing Race" champions and winning $1 million in prize money. At UC, Cindy was a UC Honors student, creator of Camp Bearcat, recipient of the '04 Presidential Leadership Medal of Excellence and a Cincinnatus scholarship winner.

She also has the distinction as having been selected as Homecoming queen in 2002 while a student. As they were then, the 2012 Homecoming king and queen will be crowned at halftime. Read Cindy's recent blog about her experiences as UC's Homecoming queen and an "Amazing Race" winner.

UC grad Cindy Chiang Halvorsen and her husband, Ernie, are this year's Homecoming parade grand marshals.They won "Amazing Race" earlier this year.

UC Alumni Association executive director Myron Hughes, Bus '86, points out that Homecoming at UC is much bigger than a single day of events.
 
"By Saturday, students will have already enjoyed quite a few days of Homecoming campus events," said Hughes. "On Homecoming day itself, the campus will be teeming with activity, reunions, parties, parade-watching, tailgating and, of course, cheering the Bearcats to victory over Miami."

To kick off the weekend, the UC Alumni Association is hosting a free event featuring UC Coach Butch Jones, tasty Cincinnati favorites, a beer tasting and live entertainment at the Myers Alumni Center on Friday, Oct. 5., from 5-8 p.m.




Homecoming Main Events
 
Friday, Oct. 5

Homecoming Kickoff Party
5 p.m. - 8 p.m., Myers Alumni Center (Free registration)
Includes free beer sampling, Montgomery Inn, Coach Butch Jones, Bearcat and Cheerleaders

Alumni Band Homecoming Reunion ($20 per person)
6 p.m. Cocktail Hour, 7 p.m. Dinner, 8:30-10 p.m. Social
Mick & Mack's Contemporary Café (Register)

Saturday, Oct. 6

Homecoming Parade Around Campus
3-4 p.m., Clifton Avenue (streets close at 2 p.m.)

Bearcats Blitz
3-6:30 p.m., Myers Alumni Center (Inside & Outside)

Academic Health Center Tailgate
4-6:30 p.m., Myers Alumni Center Courtyard (Register)

Catwalk
4:30 p.m., Myers Alumni Center (Outside) & Sigma Sigma Commons

UC vs. Miami Football Game
7:00 p.m., Nippert Stadium (Sold out)

Homecoming Court, King and Queen crowning
Halftime of game, Nippert Stadium

Get all the Homecoming details and the full rundown of events at the UC Alumni Association Homecoming website.