Northern Michigan University color guard marches in downtown Marquette during a previous year's Homecoming Parade. (Photo courtesy of Northern Michigan University)

MARQUETTE– Northern Michigan University has a great number of events for its homecoming festival coming Friday and into the Saturday. Everything from a parade, to brunch, alumni events and much more.

Kicking things off at noon on Friday, Sept. 19, is an open-house for NMU’s Cold Case Program from noon-4 p.m., at 147 Gries Hall. This event is to show the public what the Cold Case Program does.

Going on at about the same time, the NMU’s Men’s Soccer teams will face off against the Parkside Rangers at the NMU Soccer Fields behind the Superior Dome.

From 1-4 p.m at the Northern Center will be the Wildcat Welcome, which will have refreshments, homecoming information, yearbooks and more.

At 5 p.m. at the PEIF Pool will be the Wildcats and Alumni Swim and Dive competition. It will see NMU alumni and current students on the gold and green teams respectively while competing.

At 5:30 p.m., coming down West Fair Avenue will be NMU’s annual Homecoming Parade. Participants will line up behind the Superior Dome and on Pine Street. The parade will start on Fair Avenue (in front of the Berry Events Center) heading towards Third street. From there, the parade will go up Third, turn left on Hewitt, then down to Front Street before finishing behind the Superior Dome.

NMU will then host the Alumni Awards Luncheon, an invitation only event, to celebrate and recognize those who graduated from NMU and all they have done for the university.

Following is the NMU Sports Hall of Fame Induction Dinner and Ceremony, when NMU will honor Wildcats of the past. This event is not open to the public, but can be attended with pre-purchased tickets.

On Saturday, Sept. 20, the first event is the Golden Wildcat Brunch starting at 9:30 a.m. at the Northern Center Ballrooms. The event is to celebrate alumni of 1975 on the 50th anniversary of their graduation from NMU. Golden Wildcats is a program designed to recognize all alumni who have reached this special milestone. Each year, NMU will welcoms the class celebrating their 50th anniversary. The event is free but attendees are asked to RSVP with Alumni Relations at 906-227-2610.

At 10 a.m. at the PEIF Pool will be the second day of the Wildcats and Alumni Swim and Dive competition. It will see NMU alumni and current students on the gold and green teams respectively while competing.

From 10 a.m.-noon is a brunch with NMU nursing. Where pre-registered attendees can meet with current nursing students, nursing alumni, faculty and staff. There will be an alumni panel featuring stories and insights from nursing graduates, a kick off to the Wildcat Wisdom Mentoring Program, networking time to reconnect and inspire future nurses and NMU School of Nursing Alumni Apparel available for purchase.

From 11 a.m.-noon will be a Historic Walking Tour of Campus, led by Dan Truckey the director of the Beaumier U.P. Heritage Center.

Then from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. is the NMU Tailgate Party outside of the Superior Dome where attendees can celebrate prior to the homecoming football game. The event is free to attend.

Starting at 1 p.m. will be the NMU homecoming football game at the Superior Dome. The NMU Wildcats are set to face off against the Davenport University Panthers, in what is sure to result in great gridiron action.

To cap off the Homecoming Week are a set of alumni meetups organized by the decade. Occurring from 6-9 p.m. at various locations depending on the graduation year of the alumni: 1970s and prior at Holiday Inn; 1980s at the Wooden Nickel; 1990s at Breakers Roadhouse; and 2000s to current at DIGs.

More events can be found at nmu.edu/homecoming/schedule.

Antonio Anderson can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 550. His email address is aanderson@miningjournal.net.