It’s #BaylorHomecoming Week!

Baylor celebrates homecoming like nobody else — but what else would you expect from the place where collegiate homecomings began?

This weekend, thousands of alumni will return to campus to “catch that Baylor spirit again,” as President Samuel Palmer Brooks famously wrote so long ago. Activities begin Thursday night with Freshman Mass Meeting and the first of four Pigskin Revue performances, followed Friday by the dedication of the new Rosenbalm Fountain on Fifth Street, Reunion Class events, the Bonfire and Extravaganza. Saturday opens with the nation’s largest collegiate Homecoming Parade leading up to the No. 2-ranked Bears hosting Iowa State.

Saturday’s busy schedule starts early this year, with the parade beginning downtown at 7 a.m. and hitting campus between 7:30 and 7:45. The early start means the parade should be finished around 9, leaving plenty of time to get over to McLane Stadium for the Reunion Picnic and a quick breakfast tailgate. (Our suggestion: Save the main tailgating for after the game, when you can hang around celebrating a Baylor win and following other games across the country.)

Speaking of the parade… You’ve got several choices of where/how to watch it this year. As always, there are spots downtown and on campus along Fifth Street. New this year is a 500-seat grandstand on Fountain Mall, right in front of the new Rosenbalm Fountain; if you don’t want to lug lawn chairs around, this is the place for you. (Grandstand tickets are available now, with proceeds benefitting student scholarships.) You can also watch the parade locally on KCEN-TV, online at baylor.edu/homecoming, and even on a giant screen in Touchdown Alley outside McLane Stadium.

If you’re coming to the game, make sure you’re wearing the right color for your section as we #StripeMcLane. Though the game is sold out, tickets are available on StubHub. And if that doesn’t work for you, you can always come watch the game on a giant screen right outside the stadium in Touchdown Alley.

In addition to the main events listed above, various schools and departments are hosting open houses and alumni gatherings; check the Homecoming calendar for complete event listings and details.

As you plan your weekend visit, make sure you’re aware of what parking is available when around campus. For instance, shuttles will be available Friday night from the Ferrell Center to campus for the night’s festivities.) With a sold-out on-campus stadium and many more visiting for the other festivities, plan out how you’ll get around before you come.

While you’re on campus this weekend, make sure you pick up one of our “Welcome Home” booklets (pictured at right) to catch up on all that’s been going on in the Baylor family, complete with a weekend schedule, kids’ pages, and a pullout poster.

Sic ’em, Baylor Homecomers!

[As you Facebook, Tweet and Instagram about the weekend, make sure to tag your posts “#BaylorHomecoming.” We’ll be sharing our favorites on Twitter (@Baylor and @BaylorProud) and Instagram (@bayloruniversity) all week.]