The Ranger Marching Band walks around the downtown square in Alva during the 2021 Homecoming parade.
Braylon Bradt and Jeff Cher-Aime usher animals through the 2021 Homecoming parade in downtown Alva.

By Connor Gray, Senior Reporter

2022 Homecoming
packed with events
for Ranger alumni

Northwestern’s annual Homecoming celebration starts Thursday and will include numerous events through Saturday. This year’s theme is “Together We Ride.” Here is a list of events students, alumni and community members can check out this week.

The Ranger Marching Band walks around the downtown square in Alva during the 2021 Homecoming parade.

THURSDAY:
● The Miss Cinderella Talent Show will take place at 7:30 p.m. in the Herod Hall Auditorium. Tickets cost $10 for the talent show and another $10 for the pageant on Friday. Attendees with Homecoming buttons only need to pay $10 one time for both nights.

FRIDAY
● Rally ‘Round the Ranger is the official pep rally to kick off Homecoming weekend for the Rangers. Free pizza and drinks will be offered afterward. The event takes place at the Ranger statue on the northeast corner of campus at noon.

● The Miss Cinderella Pageant will take place at 8 p.m. in the Herod Hall Auditorium.

The Ranger football team claps and waves to crowd members during the 2021 Homecoming parade.

SATURDAY
● The 5K Run and 1-Mile Fun Run begin at 8 a.m. in front of the Rialto Theater on the downtown square in Alva. Registration begins at 7:15 a.m., and official Homecoming T-shirts are given to each paid entrant. Pre-registration costs $20 per person. Day-of registration costs $25 per person.
● The Northwestern Foundation and Alumni Association will serve free coffee and doughnuts at 8 a.m. on the north side of the downtown square across from the Rialto. Alumni memberships are available for purchase along with T-shirts and Christmas ornaments.
● The Homecoming parade will take place in the downtown square at 10 a.m. The parade marshal will be Dr. Mike Knedler.
● Ranger Lunch on the Square, hosted by the foundation, will take place on the Woods County Courthouse lawn across from the Rialto following the parade. Lunch costs $6 per person. A raffle for a king-size quilt will take place as well. Tickets cost $5 each. For every $20 in tickets, a person gets a free ticket. The winner does not have to be present to win. Tickets can be purchased in-person at the event or by visiting the foundation office in the Student Center on Northwestern’s campus.
● The alumni band will rehearse at 2 p.m. on the third floor of Ryerson Hall. This year’s alumni band director will be Cara Bradt.
● The massed band performance starts at 3:30 p.m. at Ranger Field. The event includes performances by junior high and high school students with the Northwestern Marching Band.
● The Northwestern versus Arkansas Tech University football game is scheduled for 4 p.m. at Ranger Field.
● The Homecoming button drawing will be during the game. The winning will be for $1,000 because there was no winner from last year’s celebration.

Parade-goers wait for candy and smile. For complete coverage of this year’s Homecoming events, see pages 8, 9, 10 and 11 in this edition of the Northwestern News.

INCENTIVES

Several local businesses are offering discounts on purchases of goods and services for Homecoming attendees with buttons.
For more information about purchasing Homecoming buttons, taking advantage of business incentives or joining in Homecoming events and traditions, visit https://www.nwosu.edu/homecoming.