Diehard fans live for this week each year. Their passion is palpable, and their excitement is contagious. Passersby get caught up in their wake and “meh” classmates get converted into the cheering horde called the Mighty Utah Student Section (MUSS). Homecoming week comes but once a year, but these traditions last a lifetime.
Homecoming 2018 begins with the new student scavenger hunt Monday, Oct. 15, 2018, and culminates on Oct. 20 with the football game against Pac-12 peer the University of Southern California. Follow this year’s activities with hashtags using the slogan One U. This is a salute to one of U President Ruth V. Watkins’ key themes. As she has stated, “Achieving our best and brightest future relies on our capacity to think and act like One U.”
Homecoming Week provides ways for students, alumni and other U fans to celebrate the U’s rich history and traditions of the past and present.
This list of events will help you plan your week. We hope you see you at every one of them. Don’t forget to post your Homecoming photos using the Homecoming hashtags #uuthrowback and #OneU.
Monday, Oct. 15, 2018 | 9 a.m.-2 p.m.
Multiple areas on campus
Follow @uofustudentalumniboard on Instagram to participate. Clues will be given throughout the day to find hidden prizes. Prizes will be given away every hour.
For University of Utah students only.
Monday, Oct. 15, 2018 | 2-4 p.m.
Union Saltair Room
From bags to beds, creating sleeping mats for the homeless. Help us reuse plastic bags to make mats for those who don’t have a place to sleep. These mats provide those in need, an area to sleep on rather than sleeping on the ground.
Tuesday, Oct. 16, 2018 | 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Union Plaza
Come meet candidates for local and national office in person. Play carnival games and get engaged with issues that impact you and your university.
Tuesday, Oct. 16, 2018 | 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
Campus Store
Celebrate Homecoming week with free tacos. University Credit Union will be sponsoring games, prizes and more, so don’t miss out.
Greek, Homecoming, decoration, Alumni, ASUU, Greek Row
Tuesday, Oct. 16, 2018 | 4-6 p.m.
Greek Row and other campus locations
Judging on the “One U” theme.
Tuesday, Oct. 16, 2018 | 5:30 p.m.
Cleone Peterson Eccles Alumni House
Dinner and guest speaker Mark Harlan, the new U athletic director sharing his “Vision for the U.” Harlan was named University of Utah athletic director on July 1 following the retirement of longtime Athletic Director Chris Hill. During Harlan’s four-year tenure as athletic director at the University of South Florida, he guided the Bulls to 12 American Athletic Conference championships; and he had nine sports programs ranked in the Top 25 during the 2017-18 academic year.
Emeritus alumni are those who graduated from the University of Utah 40 or more years ago (or who are age 60 and older).
For more information or to buy a ticket for this event, click here.
Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2018 | 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
Union Plaza
Join the U’s Department of Public Safety and several campus partners for our Fall into Safety event! Lots of games and activities centered on raising safety awareness on campus. A dunk tank will be there where you can dunk the Chief of Police, a fatal vision course, and our K9s will be showing off all their skills. We’ll have free JDawgs on site and many other games and prizes. Come out and have some fun.
Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2018 | 5:30 p.m.
Huntsman Center
This is your chance to get to know our U basketball programs before the season begins. This is a free event during Homecoming at the Huntsman Center on Wednesday, Oct. 17.
Autographs and meet the team: 5:30-6:30 p.m.
Dunk contest: 7 p.m.
Red/White Game: 7:15 p.m.
Thursday, Oct. 18, 2018 | 6-8 p.m.
Union Ballroom
The annual student presentation of song-and-dance routines, judged for creativity and presentation.
Thursday, Oct. 18, 2018 | 7:30 p.m.
Rice-Eccles Stadium
Bring your pillows and blankets down onto the fields for movie night! The movie is “Remember the Titans,” plus a visit from coach Kyle Whittingham. Will be moved to the Union in the case of inclement weather.
Only CLEAR bags allowed. The clear-bag policy will be enforced. Food and drinks are prohibited on the field.
Friday, Oct. 19, 2018 | 9 p.m.-2 a.m.
Student Union
Get dressed up in your Halloween costumes for this special Crimson Nights. We’ll be combining the annual Homecoming Dance and the Halloween Crimson Nights into a spooky jam-packed night you’ll never forget. Featuring DJ Jerry.
Please remember that cultures are not costumes.
Giant inflatable obstacle course
Haunted Hallway
Mocktail bar
Tarot Card Reading
Oxygen bar
Quidditch
Kim’s Creatures
Free food
Free giveaways
No cost with UCard | $5 admission with other college ID, college IDs only
Crimson Nights is an alcohol- and substance-free event.
Note: No re-entry for any reason.
Friday, Oct. 19, 2018
Various locations
An event-packed weekend for parents to share with their students.
Saturday, Oct. 20, 2018 | 7:30 a.m.
Cleone Peterson Eccles Alumni House
Runners begin at the recently renovated Cleone Peterson Eccles Alumni House at the center of campus. Click here to view the course map.
This race is a WellU option for university faculty/staff. If you can’t make it, support the race virtually by clicking “Virtual Racer.”
Registration prices vary from $17–$35 depending on the age group and U affiliation.
Click here to register before prices rise after Oct. 17.
7:30 a.m. | Registration/check-in
8:30 a.m. | 5K start
9:15 a.m. | Kids 1K start
Saturday, Oct. 20, 2018
Saturday, Oct. 20, 2018 | Kickoff at 6 p.m.
Rice-Eccles Stadium
Cheer Utah on to victory over USC.
Remember, your game-day ticket is also your TRAX ticket to the Rice-Eccles Stadium.
Sunday, Oct. 21, 2018
