Published: Oct. 29, 2012

Have you been “Back to Boulder?” It’s a question being posed by the 鶹Ƶ Alumni Association to its family of more than 250,000 students and alumni. Alumni, current students, faculty, staff and community members will find a broad slate of activities for the 2012 Homecoming weekend starting Thursday, Nov. 1. A full description of activities and events as well as event registration can be found on the Back to Boulder website at .

The long weekend kicks off Nov. 1 with the 83rd annual Alumni Association Awards ceremony. The reception at the Hotel Boulderado will honor 10 prominent alumni, faculty, staff and student winners whose outstanding service, energy and professional achievements demonstrate what it means to be a part of the 鶹Ƶ family. Registration is required for the event.

Following the awards ceremony, CU Program Council hosts the annual homecoming concert featuring Schoolboy Q, Danny Brown, and Be Good in the University Memorial Center’s Glenn Miller Ballroom at 8:30 p.m. Student tickets are $3 presale and $5 day of show. Community tickets are $10. Tickets can be purchased at .

Friday, Nov. 2, sees the beginning of events for the six groups that are hosting reunions for Homecoming weekend. The Black Alumni Association, the Buffoons, Pi Beta Phi and the Marching Band are some of the groups holding individual events and participating in the weekend’s festivities.

A signature event for all alumni, students and community members is the “Back to Boulder” luncheon presented by the Alumni Association. Hosted from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Nov. 2 in the UMC Glenn Miller Ballroom, the lunch features a presentation by Emmy Award-winning adventure filmmaker and CU alum Michael Brown. The event costs $15 for alumni and community members and is free for students, however space is limited and registration is required.

For those looking for a classroom experience, the Alumni Association has coordinated with more than 40 professors to open their classrooms for “Classes without Quizzes.” Throughout Friday, registered participants will be able to sit in on classes from several colleges and schools. Offerings vary from the College of Arts and Sciences’ “Trends in Digital Journalism” to the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences’ “Chemical Reactor Engineering.” Tours of campus also will be available for Homecoming weekend attendees.

Friday, Nov. 2, rounds out with the celebratory Pearl Street Stampede. The entire Boulder community is invited for the procession along the Pearl Street Pedestrian Mall, which includes the Golden Buffalo Marching Band and representatives from the CU football team. The free event begins in front of the Boulder County Courthouse at 7 p.m. and ends with a pep rally at 11th and Pearl.

In 2012, the parade returns to University Hill with a new day and time. Connecting with gameday tradition, the parade begins at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 3. The procession will start at the corner of 13th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue and will end on CU’s campus near the intersection of 18th Street and Euclid Avenue. Fans are invited to line up along the route and see the floats, marchers and other entries from campus Greek organizations, residence halls, student groups and more. Parade entry registration continues through Oct. 31 and can be found at .

“Going for Gold” is the 2012 Homecoming Parade theme, honoring CU’s Olympic tradition. Parade Grand Marshals are Emma Coburn and Shalaya Kipp, members of the 2012 U.S. Summer Olympic team and current student-athletes at CU-Boulder.

Following the parade, doughnuts and hot chocolate will be served on the UMC South Terrace for parade participants and attendees. Food service will begin at the conclusion of the procession and continue while supplies last.

After the parade events, attendees can make their way to the Alumni Association’s pregame event, “Ralphie’s Corral.” This family-friendly event is hosted in Benson Field, across from Folsom Field. Opening at 9 a.m., the event includes performances from the CU Marching Band and Spirit Team, the WhiteWave Family Fun Zone, concession and merchandise sales and an extended appearance from Ralphie the Buffalo.

The cornerstone of Homecoming weekend, this year’s CU football matchup features the Colorado Buffaloes taking on the No. 14 Stanford Cardinals at noon at Folsom Field. Gameday information for CU football can be found at the website . Other athletic events over the weekend include the Friday, Nov. 2 matchup for CU soccer against Utah at 3 p.m.

For more information about CU Homecoming and the Back to Boulder weekend or to register for events, please visit and .

Contact:
Brianna Majewski, CUSG Director of Homecoming
Brianna.Majewski@colorado.edu, 303-492-7473
Allyson Frusciano, Associate Director, Alumni Association
Allyson.Frusciano@colorado.edu, 303-492-4256
Colin Spaulding, Coordinator, Student Involvement,
Activities & Leadership Development Office
Colin.Spaulding@Colorado.edu, 303-492-0627