Homecoming week is finally here! This year, Ball State will be hosting a variety of traditional and new events to celebrate. There are activities for everyone as these events span across campus and many different colleges.
Below is a guide for alumni to get a glimpse into the different options they can participate in when they come to visit! We are so excited to welcome back our Cardinals to the nest!
WEEKDAY EVENTS
Homecoming Food Truck Festival
Location: Brown Family Amphitheater
Monday, October 16th from 6-8 p.m.
Open up Homecoming Week with the Homecoming Food Truck Festival. This event will feature a variety of food trucks, music, and other exciting activities. This offers fun opportunities for students, faculty/staff, the Muncie community, and alumni to become involved and enjoy Ball State’s Homecoming Week. Food trucks include Neighborhood Pizza, Danger Dog, Payne’s, Ta-JAYS Caribbean Delight, Three Bears Concessions, Kona Ice, and Red Trailer Shake-Ups.
Location: Emens Auditorium
Thursday, October 19th at 7:30pm
Going strong since 1987, Air Jam is Ball State’s most popular Homecoming event! Come watch student organizations dance and compete in the annual lip-sync competition. You can purchase your tickets in advance to ensure you get a seat for this incredible event. Purchase your tickets online or purchase at the Emens box office starting October 11th.
Location: Riverside Avenue
Friday, October 20th at 12 p.m.
It’s time again for one of Homecoming’s most exciting traditions since 1980! Each Bed Race team consists of five people – four pushing the bed, and one riding on it. Teams will compete against the clock, two teams at a time, on a 100-yard course. Come and cheer the teams on with us.
Location: Alumni Center & Campus
Friday, October 20th at 2:00 p.m.
Join the Office of Community Engagement for a Campus Bus Tour highlighting the Cultural Corridor and Ball State’s newest building projects, like the North Neighborhood, Health Professions, Foundational Science Buildings, and the recently completed Brown Family Amphitheater!
HOMECOMING WEEKEND
Location: Begins at City Hall downtown & Ends at Emens Auditorium on Riverside Avenue
Saturday, October 21st at 8:45 a.m.
BSU will once again be joining forces with Chase Charlie, which will see its 5K take place on Homecoming morning. Enjoy this exciting atmosphere as you run through campus along the parade route. The finish line is next to Emens Auditorium on Riverside Avenue, so make plans to stay and watch the Homecoming parade after you are finished.
Location: Downtown Muncie & Ball State Campus
Saturday, October 21st at 9:00 a.m.
The Homecoming Parade has been one of Ball State’s greatest traditions since it began in 1939. University organizations and Muncie community businesses and groups enter floats, cars, bands, and even horses to show off their Cardinal Pride! Come and see all that Ball State University and the Muncie community has to offer.
Location: Corner of University and McKinley Avenue
Saturday, October 21st at 9:00am
Join us in one of the best locations to watch the Homecoming parade! Email homecoming@bsu.edu to register. Complimentary refreshments will be available, as well as many door prize giveaways!
Location: Brown Family Amphitheater
Saturday, October 21st from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Join us at the new Brown Family Amphitheater following the Homecoming Chase Charlie 5K Run/Walk! Enjoy food trucks, hear the 5 Speeds band play, receive some swag giveaways, and have fun! This event is free to attend with food and beverage for purchase. All alumni, friends, and fans of Ball State are welcome.
Location: Brown Family Amphitheater
Saturday, October 21st from 11:30 – 12:00 p.m.
Join other alumni couples for this special event, and renew your vows at this non-denominational ceremony, officiated by President Geoffrey Mearns. This exciting event will take place on Homecoming Day at our beautiful new Brown Family Amphitheater, located in the heart of campus. The ceremony will begin at 11:30 a.m., following the parade. There is no cost to join this event, but pre-registered couples will receive a memento to mark the occasion!
Location: Alumni Center Outside Area
Saturday, October 21st from 1:30 – 3:30 p.m.
Stop by the front of the Alumni Center for fun family activities, music from DJ Swan, and a pep rally featuring the Ball State Cheerleaders, Pride of Mid-America Marching Band, and the Code Red Dancers to pump you up an hour before kickoff! Food and beverages will be available from a variety of vendors. A full list of food and drink options is available here.
Location: Lawn outside of Alumni Center
Saturday, October 21st all-day
Join the following groups at Reunion Row! Groups will be in front of the Alumni Center near; CharlieTown, vendors, the stadium, and all of the excitement of Homecoming
Day! Groups include the Black Alumni Council, Delta Chi, Kappa Alpha Theta, Housing and Residence Life, Sigma Phi Epsilon, Alpha Tau Omega, and Theta Chi.
Location: Scheumann Stadium
Saturday, October 21st at 3:30 p.m.
Come watch our Cardinals take on Central Michigan for our annual Homecoming football game! Be sure to wear your Cardinal red and get LOUD! Tickets are available for purchase HERE or at the gate!
COLLEGE ACTIVITIES
CCIM ESports Open House
Location: Unified Media Lab, second floor of Art and Journalism Building; Letterman Building Lobby; Esports Center Robert Bell Building Room 134
Friday, October 20, 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. & Saturday, October 21, 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Come explore CCIM on Homecoming weekend! In the Letterman lobby, we will have a photo backdrop and interactive displays. In the Robert Bell Building, you will be able to learn more about our 2023 EsportsU Program of the Year and get the chance to play games on state-of-the-art technology, including our two sim racing units! Additionally, the Unified Media Lab in the Art and Journalism Building will show where many of our student media organizations are housed.
College of Health Open House & Birthday Party for Health Professions Building
Location: Health Professions Building
Friday, October 20th from 12:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
October marks the 4th anniversary of the opening of the Health Professions Building. To celebrate, the College of Health will host an open house, including facility tours and a birthday party, during and after the Bed Race on October 20.
College of Sciences and Humanities Alumni Brunch
Location: Foundational Sciences Building, Room 253
Saturday, October 21st from 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Come join fellow CSH alumni for a celebration of science and humanities while enjoying cultural-significant food from all across the globe. Alumni can come to get a taste of what the college has been up to in recent years!
Honors College Open House
Ball Honors House
Saturday, October 21st from 8:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
Come join Honors College alumni, current students, as well as friends of honors in the backyard of the Ball Honors House for coffee and donuts before the Homecoming Parade. In addition, come learn more about the integration of the Virginia Ball Center (VBC) for Creative Inquiry with the Honors College. Friends and alumni of the VBC are welcome to come see the new spaces in the Honors House that highlight the work of the VBC.
Whitinger Scholars Reunion
Ball Honors House
Saturday, October 21st from 11:00 a.m. – 1 p.m.
The Honors College is excited to welcome back alumni from the Whitinger Scholarship program for lunch and a special announcement. Attendees will have the opportunity to meet current Whitinger Scholars and socialize with former classmates and alumni. Please join them at 11:00 a.m. for an announcement and programming, followed by lunch.
MCOB Open House
Location: Whitinger Business Building
Friday, October 20th from 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Miller College of Business faculty invites our alumni to join them for a Homecoming Open House! They look forward to hearing about your lives after Ball State and sharing all of the exciting things that have happened at Miller College.
Teachers College Alumni Breakfast and Parade Viewing
Location: Ball Brothers Hospitality Suite on the 2nd floor of Emens Auditorium
Saturday, October 21st from 8:00 – 9:30 a.m.
Prior to the Homecoming Parade, the Teacher’s College will be hosting a light breakfast for TC alumni and families. They will be serving food as well as coffee and hot chocolate prior to the Homecoming Parade.
Teacher’s College Alumni Greenhouse and Nature Lab Event
Location: Dr. Joe and Alice Rinard Orchid Greenhouse and Environmental Center
Saturday, October 21 from 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Come and join fellow TC alumni and families and stop by to explore the Dr. Joe and Alice Rinard Orchid Greenhouse and Nature Lab in this open-house style event. Children can enjoy coloring masks modeled after native Indiana bat species while learning about bats’ diets and behavior. Learn about the live animals in the Nature Lab, including an eastern box turtle, a beehive, and frogs. At the greenhouse, explore all three rooms of beautiful indoor nature.
Teacher’s College Alumni Planetarium Show
Location: Charles W. Brown Planetarium
Saturday, October 21 from 2:00 – 3:00 p.m.
Join fellow TC alumni and families for a free private showing at the Charles W. Brown Planetarium. Come and see the stars with us!
CAP Open House
Location: Architecture Building and the Applied Technology Building
Friday, October 20 from 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. & Saturday, October 21 from 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Both the Architecture Building and the Applied Technology Building will be open for alumni and visitors on Friday & Saturday. Classes will be in session Friday providing a great opportunity to visit faculty and administrators. On Saturday, donuts/bagels and coffee will be available with student ambassadors on-site to answer questions and show visitors around. There will be no cost to anyone who wants to participate.