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News Release

Last modified: Thursday, September 27, 2012

Celebrate Hoosier spirit with IU Homecoming 2012

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sept. 27, 2012

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Indiana University alumni, students and friends are invited to a week of activities in Bloomington to celebrate Homecoming 2012. The festivities get started on Sunday, Sept. 30, and keep rolling through Saturday, Oct. 6, when the football Hoosiers take on Michigan State at Memorial Stadium.

"We are aiming to make Homecoming week a memorable experience for Hoosier faithful of all stripes and tastes," said J T. Forbes, executive director and CEO of the IU Alumni Association. "No matter the event, expect one common element: Hoosier spirit."

Helping to amp up the Homecoming spirit are a series of student-oriented events such as the Nearly Naked Mile on Monday, Oct. 1, and IU's Got Talent on Wednesday, Oct. 3.

The Hoosier Village tailgate on Saturday, Oct. 6, gets started at 9 a.m. and revs up Hoosier fans until 11:30 a.m., giving fans time to watch the noon kickoff. Located immediately south of Memorial Stadium, the tailgate features food and drinks, activities and games for all ages, and performances by the IU cheerleaders.

"Hoosier Village does tailgating the way it should be: spirit-filled and hassle-free," said Mike Mann, alumni program officer at the IU Alumni Association. "It's the perfect place for all alumni and friends to prep for a Hoosier football victory."

Tailgate tickets are $15 for IU Alumni Association members and $20 for nonmembers. Tickets are $8 for children ages 3 to 12 and free for those 2 or younger. Advance tickets can be purchased by calling the IU Alumni Association at 812-855-7352. Tickets for the Homecoming football game are available by calling 866-IUSPORTS.

Those on hand for the activities on Friday, Oct. 5, will see a change to the typical slate of events. The Homecoming parade will not happen this year, and the focus will shift to a free family-friendly concert in Dunn Meadow. The evening aims to create the feel of a Homecoming festival.

"This new approach to Friday night gives returning and Bloomington-based alumni -- and their families -- the perfect way to be a part of Homecoming as they soak in the campus atmosphere," Forbes said. "We're looking forward to a great crowd."

The concert features South Jordan, a pop-rock band that got its start at IU Bloomington and went on to ink a recording deal with Island Def Jam. The evening, a partnership between the Student Alumni Association and Union Board, starts at 7 p.m. with a performance by local singer/songwriter Zach Majors. Local restaurants and vendors will sell a variety of food and drinks.

The complete schedule of events for Homecoming 2012, with the theme "Lights, Camera, Action," follows:

• Sunday, Sept. 30: Paint the Town Crimson Day, in partnership with Downtown Bloomington Inc.; decorating begins at 4 p.m. at various locations on campus and in the community.
• Monday, Oct. 1: Homecoming Kickoff Extravaganza, featuring the Nearly Naked Mile, benefiting the United Way of Monroe County; registration begins at 6:30 p.m., run begins at 8 p.m., Dunn Meadow.
• Tuesday, Oct. 2: Homecoming Spirit Day, where IU fans around the world don their cream and crimson apparel; Spirit Day Blood Drive, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. at DeVault Alumni Center and a mobile unit outside Ballantine Hall, with registration on the Red Cross website; and the Ultimate Hoosier competition, sponsored by the IU Student Foundation and supporting the charity chosen by the winner, 6 to 8 p.m., Dunn Meadow.
• Wednesday, Oct. 3: IU's Got Talent student-performance competition, 7 p.m., Buskirk-Chumley Theater.
• Thursday, Oct. 4: Alumni Career Panel, "How I Went From Bloomington to the Bright Lights of Show Biz," 7 to 8 p.m., Fine Arts 015.
• Friday, Oct. 5: Free concert featuring South Jordan and Zach Majors, 7 p.m., Dunn Meadow.
• Saturday, Oct. 6: Hoosier Village Homecoming Tailgate Party, 9 to 11:30 a.m., just south of Memorial Stadium.

For more details about these events, visit the Alumni Association's homecoming page.

Homecoming is sponsored by the IU Alumni Association and the Student Alumni Association.

SAA is one of the largest and most active student organizations at IU Bloomington. The IU Alumni Association is dedicated to serving the university and its diverse alumni, students and friends. As one of the nation's largest alumni organizations, serving more than 570,000 graduates worldwide, the IUAA provides many programs and services to its members, nonmember alumni and the university.

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