The ºÚÁÏÍø fight song will blare down Main Street, the city of Kent will be flooded with blue and gold, alumni and friends will gather and reminisce about their Kent State days, fans will pack the stadium to cheer on their beloved Golden Flashes, and the entire campus will boom with Kent State pride.
Kent State will celebrate 100 years of Homecoming on Saturday, Oct. 6. Kent State alumni, students, parents, faculty, staff and the community are invited to take part in one of the university’s long-standing traditions. Student events will occur the week leading up to Homecoming on all eight Kent State campuses throughout Northeast Ohio.
The morning of Homecoming kicks off with the 18th Annual Bowman Cup 5K Race at 8 a.m. The race, named after fedora-loving former Kent State President George Bowman, is a chip-timed race that starts and ends in front of the Student Recreation and Wellness Center.
The Homecoming Parade begins at 10 a.m. on the corner of Midway Drive and Main Street, traveling west on Main Street into downtown Kent. The parade features floats, Kent State and local high school marching bands, university colleges and departments, Kent State cheerleaders and athletes, student organizations, local officials and more. Parade favorites Kent State President Beverly J. Warren, the 2018 grand marshal and the Homecoming Courts anchor the parade. This year’s Homecoming Parade Grand Marshal is Wayne Dawson, WJW Fox 8 anchor and Kent State alumnus.
The Kent State Alumni Association hosts the Welcome Home Party at 11 a.m. at the Center for Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement located at 350 S. Lincoln St. in Kent. The Welcome Home Party is free and fun for all ages with festive food, activities and Kent State giveaways. Each college on the Kent Campus will host a free open house or event at one of its buildings. Events include meet and greets with the college deans and refreshments.
Couples who feel that Kent State played an important role in their relationship will gather on the K at Risman Plaza (in front of the Kent Student Center) for a special Homecoming tradition called Kiss on the K. All couples will kiss on the K when the bell rings at 12:30 p.m. A special performance by the Kent Clarks acapella group and activities will begin at noon.
Before the football game, alumni and students can tailgate at Dix Stadium. Then at 3:30 p.m., the Kent State Golden Flashes will take on Mid-American Conference East Division foe the Ohio University Bobcats. The rivalry game will be Kent State’s first conference home game of the season. The Homecoming Courts – more than 40 representatives from all Kent State campuses – will be recognized at the game, and Kent State’s 2018 Homecoming King and Queen also will be announced and crowned.
For more information about Kent State’s 2018 Homecoming including a full schedule of events, visit www.kent.edu/homecoming.
To learn more about 100 years of Homecoming at Kent State, visit www.kent.edu/magazine/100YearsofHomecoming.