With the second half of the Autumn Quarter in full swing, many are looking forward to an unforgettable Pioneer tradition: Homecoming and Family Weekend, a time where alumni, family, friends and students can all come together to express their pioneer pride.

This year’s Homecoming and Family Weekend takes place from Oct. 30 to Nov. 2. Many of the festivities this year are enjoyable for all ages, including the Pioneer Symposium, Pioneerfest, Taste of DU, a D1 Hockey face off with Boston College and more.

In honor of DU’s sesquicentennial year, there are also exclusive activities like the All-Class Reunion. Alumni Office and Events Assistant Emily Kintigh noted, “We have events all weekend. We’ve got alumni-specific, parent-specific and athletic events. This year we’re hosting a whole bunch of student specific events in the week leading up to homecoming.”

Homecoming and Family weekend kicks off each day of the weekend with the Pioneer Symposium, where attendees can listen to various keynote speaker’s, alumni and professor’s views on issues that are currently taking place in our world. Topics include education, athletics and government, among others, and panels take place across campus between Oct. 31 and Nov. 1.

“We’ve changed the format [of the symposium] this year to account for the sesquicentennial. Before it included several faculty-led sessions, and this time it is a whole bunch of alumni panels,” Kintigh said.

In the evening, guests are welcome to head over to Magness Arena and cheer on the DU D1 Hockey team as they go head-to-head with the Boston College Eagles.

Families and students alike will have a great time at Pioneerfest, located on the Driscoll Green on Saturday, November 1. Kintigh said, “[Pioneerfest] is when we’ll have–providing it doesn’t snow–the transformation of Driscoll Green into a carnival. There’s going to be booths for student organizations, bouncy castles, pumpkin painting and food trucks.”

This year, the Taste of DU and Athletics Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony take place concurrently. In this event, guests can try cuisine from various restaurants around the Denver Metro Area while enjoying the Athletics Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. There will also be prizes and activities throughout this event.

To continue the celebration of DU’s sesquicentennial year and kick off a new reunions program, DU is celebrating its first ever All-Class Reunion. There will be a costume parade where families can travel through each decade of alumni and enjoy trick-or-treating, casino games, a photo booth and live music. This reunion is a great way for Pioneers of all ages to connect and have a great time.

Many events–like Pioneerfest–are free, but some do require purchased tickets to attend. Events requiring these purchased tickets include: Pioneer Symposium, the All-Class Reunion, the D1 Hockey games and Taste of DU.

There is also the Crimson and Gold All-Access Pass available to those who are interested. This pass grants access to a majority of the paid events that are taking place over the weekend. The pass is intended for alumni, but anyone who would like to purchase one may do so. The pass costs $99 (or $89 for recent DU graduates).The admission to events included in this pass can be found in the schedule of events.

More information and prices can be easily found on the DU Alumni website (www.du.edu/alumni/) including registration information and schedules.