Baylor Celebrates its 99th Homecoming Anniversary
by Jaime Bates, student newswriter, (254) 710-6805
Baylor University will hold its 99th Anniversary Homecoming celebration Oct. 31 through Nov. 2 with a variety of traditional events and activities for students and alumni.
The 50th annual Pigskin Revue will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 30; at 6:30 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 31; and at 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 1, in Waco Hall.
Pigskin is an annual Homecoming tradition in which the top eight acts perform the previous year's All University Sing competition. The performances are Broadway style acts performed by student organizations. The participants this year are Kappa Kappa Gamma/Kappa Sigma, Kappa Omega Tau, Phi Kappa Chi, Alpha Tau Omega, Chi Omega, Delta Delta Delta, Phi Gamma Delta and Pi Beta Phi.
The Baylor Alumni Association's annual meeting will be held from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m., Friday, Oct. 31, in Truett Seminary's Paul W. Powell Chapel on the Baylor campus. The Baylor Alumni Association will elect the board of representatives and officers at the meeting. The W.R. White Meritorious Service Awards also will be presented to Howard Dudgeon III, Madelyn Jones, David Malone, Ann Reed and Bill Underwood.
The W.R. White Meritorious Service Award, named after Dr. W. R. White, a former president of Baylor, is presented each year at homecoming to individuals dedicated to making Baylor "the best place it can be."
Singspiration will be held at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 31, in Seventh and James Baptist Church. The event will include performances by the Baylor Religious Hour Choir (BRH), which is celebrating its 60th anniversary; the Singspiration Alumni Choir; and Kurt Kaiser, pianist, composer and arranger. The event also will include worship and concert artists Chris and Diane Machen and David Phelps, a prominent voice in Christian music. Signspiration is free and open to the public.
The Homecoming Extravaganza will begin at 6 p.m., Friday, Oct. 31, on Fountain Mall. Students and alumni can enjoy food, carnival rides and inflatables before getting geared up for the game during the Pep Rally, which starts at 9 p.m. The Pictures will begin performing at 9:45 p.m.
The freshmen class will light the Bonfire directly following the Pep Rally at 9:45 p.m. Started in 1946, the Bonfire traditionally guarded the campus and the mascots from rival teams.
The annual Homecoming Parade, believed to be the largest colligate parade in the nation will begin at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 1, at Eighth Street and Austin Avenue. The Parade will end at Fifth Street and Speight Avenue by 11 a.m.
KWBU-TV Ch. 34 will broadcast the parade, with live coverage from 9 to 11 a.m. on Saturday. Encore presentations will air on KWBU-TV at 9 p.m. Saturday and at 5 p.m. Sunday. The parade also will be streamed live at www.baylor.edu/homecoming.
The Baylor Bears will take on the University of Missouri Tigers in the Homecoming football game at 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 1, at Floyd Casey Stadium. Tickets may be purchased from the Athletic Department ticket office at (254) 710-1000, or online at www.baylorbears.com.
Homecoming activities will conclude with the Homecoming Worship Service at 9 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 2, in Truett Seminary's Paul W. Powell Chapel.
For more information on Homecoming events visit the official Homecoming website at www.baylor.edu/homecoming or contact the Baylor Chamber of Commerce at (254) 710-3322.