Billboards, posters, banners and even a Facebook page have been drawing the California Baptist University and Riverside community to the Homecoming Block Party set for Feb. 11 and 12.
At CBU, homecoming takes place in February in order to kick off the basketball season, whereas at most schools homecoming takes place at the beginning of the fall semester to kick off the football season.
Last year’s homecoming added another tradition by making it a block party. That tradition will continue this year.
“I think homecoming is an awesome thing that CBU throws for the community! There is just so many things to do!” Reese Gonzales, sophomore said.
The event was planned in previous years by the Office of Institutional Advancement but this year the Office of Conferences and Events is doing the planning.
“We want the students who are here now to get involved and be a part of this and make it a tradition, along with the faculty and staff,” Earl Harris, director of conferences and events, said. “We are also opening this up to the community; we want people from Riverside and other surrounding areas to come and have fun and see what the campus is like and be a part of the events as well.”
The weekend starts with homecoming chapel in the Van Dyne Gymnasium at 10 a.m. and 11 a.m.
The Alumni Awards and Sweetheart Banquet will be from 5:30-8:00 p.m. in the Copenbarger Presidential Dining Room.
Later that evening, there will be a pep rally and bonfire out on the front lawn. This event is sure to warm spirits.
This is new for the homecoming schedule and will include s’mores and hot chocolate.
Be sure to get a good night’s rest for the following morning at the Lancer 5000 5K Walk and Run, followed by a CBU Lancers Baseball game versus Cal State San Marcos.
The block party starts at 11 a.m. This includes: an art walk, carnival booths with prizes, block party lectures, a car show, CBU club and department showcases, “Dunk the Dean,” “Pie your Professor,” food court, “Little Lancer Land” with inflatable attractions, Collinsworth School of Music performances and sumo wrestling.
At the block party Provider and Chick-fil-A will both be selling food. Meal plans will not be accepted for this event.
There will also be a company selling carnival food such as hot dogs, popcorn and cotton candy.
Last year the block party took place in the parking lot by the Van Dyne Gymnasium, but this year everything will be held on the front lawn.
From 3:30-5:30 p.m. there will be the Smoking Hot Lancer Lot Tailgate Party featuring buf- falo wild wings in the Van Dyne Gymnasium. Meal plans are al- lowed for this event.
At 5:30 p.m. CBU’s Women’s Basketball team will be playing Vanguard University.
Then at 7:30 p.m. the main event, the Men’s Basketball game, is when the Homecoming King, Queen, Princes and Prin- cesses will be revealed.
Nominees for Queen include: Ashley Gallina, Brenna Hahn, Kayla Lind, Aubrey Stelzner and Sarah Tidwell.
Nominees for King include: Nick Braden, Will Byers, Mohamed Khattab, Kyle Logan and Josh Mott.
The weekend is being sponsored by Lucas Oil Products.
For more information on the event go to www.calbaptist.edu/homecoming or visit the CBU Homecoming Block Party page on Facebook.
