Eastern’s 2022 Homecoming week will take place from Monday to Saturday and Eastern is hosting multiple events throughout the week.

There are four events for the entire week along with daily events throughout the week.

Paint the Town Blue is for local businesses, civic groups, and residents of Charleston to decorate areas of the town in support of Eastern’s Homecoming.  

The Spirit Cup Competition is a competition amongst active Registered Student Organizations (RSOs), Greek life organizations, residence halls, Eastern departments Eastern colleges and Eastern faculty and staff. 

The first event, “Real Panthers Decorate Blue and Spirit Banners”, will be held on Monday, and the second event, “Parade” will be held on Saturday. Rules and regulations can be found online.  

Big Blue Give Campus Food Pantry Drive is an event to help increase donations of perishable and non-perishable foods to the EIU Campus Food Pantry, located in Room 1347 McAfee Gymnasium or the Student Activities Center in Room 3065 in the University Union.  

At Golf Cart Trivia, students can receive a free ride from the Panther Patrol while answering trivia questions and have a chance to receive a prize.  

The trivia will be running daily from 8 a.m. to noon.

 On Monday, there is a Homecoming Kickoff and the 2022 Homecoming Royalty Coronation.

The Homecoming Kickoff is at the Library Quad between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. There will be free food, prizes, giveaways, inflatables and yard games will be featured at the event. 

If it rains, the event will be relocated to the Main Concourse in Doudna Fine Arts Center.  

The 2022 Homecoming Royalty Coronation is at 7 p.m. in the Grand Ballroom in the Martin Luther King Jr University Union. The coronation will include crowning the new King and Queen, Prince, Princess, Faculty/Staff Lord, Faculty/Staff Lady, and Little Prince and Princess.

On Tuesday, there is the Faculty/Staff Blue-B-Que Luncheon and the Spirit Challenge.

The Faculty/Staff Blue-B-Que Luncheon is from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Main Concourse within the Doudna Fine Arts Center to celebrate homecoming and to show appreciation for the faculty and staff. Faculty and staff can bring a canned good to donate to the EIU Campus Food Pantry to receive an extra ticket for the prize and giveaway.

The Spirit Challenge is the first event for the Spirit Cup Challenge taking place in the University Ballroom, located in the MLK Jr Union between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. Mini games and other competitions will be held for teams to earn points.  

Events on Wednesday include a Homecoming Family Fun Night and Cosmic Bowling Mixer.

The Homecoming Family Fun Night will have jumbo yard games and bingo will be played from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m. in the Grand Ballroom in the MLK Jr. Union.  

The Cosmic Bowling Mixer is a glow in the dark bowling event that will take place in the EIU Bowling Lanes, located in the MLK Jr. Union between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. Mock-tails, popcorn and pizza will be served. Games will be discounted while shoe rentals will be free and homecoming prizes and giveaways will be available.  

The Homecoming events on Thursday are a Homecoming Skating Party and a Cosmic Bowling Mixer II.

The Homecoming Skating Party is a skating event that will take place in the MLK Jr. Union University Ballroom from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. 

Due to the popularity of the Cosmic Bowling Mixer in the past, a second night was added.

The Cosmic Bowling Mixer II is another bowling event that will take place at the Bowling Lanes in the University Union between 7 p.m. until 9 p.m. 

On Friday, there are a series of events involving the Class of 1072’s 50th year reunion, along with Alumni Legacy Campus Tours and the Block Party Pep Rally.

For the 50th Class Reunion Events the class of 1972 is invited to commemorate the anniversary. 

A campus tour will be held at 4 p.m. A social reception, which allows them to catch up with their former classmates will be held at 4:30 p.m. 

The Livingston C. Lord and Heritage Society Pinning Ceremony will be held at 5 p.m. in the University Ballroom. The Heritage Society honors individuals who have supported the University through planned gifts. Recipients will receive society pins and a class photo will be taken, which will be mailed at a later date. 

At 5:30 p.m., a reunion dinner will be held in the University Ballroom. Tickets cost $10 per person. At 6 p.m., a Tribute Donor Recognition event will take place in the University Ballroom. The Office of University Advancement will honor the benefactors who “inspire greatness at EIU.” Social hour will start at 6 p.m. and the program will begin at 6:30 p.m. 

The Alumni Legacy Campus Tours is for visiting alumni who can take a tour of Eastern to see what has changed since they graduated. Alums can meet in the Office of Admissions Room 1230 in Old Main and will last from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. 

The Block Party Pep Rally is from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. in the O’Brien Stadium Parking Lot. 

Contests will be held, as well as giveaways and prizes. A special grand prize giveaway will also be hosted. The is also a beer/seltzer garden for alcoholic drinks.

The Panther Marching Band, EIU Dancers, Pink Panthers and the EIU Cheer Team will give performances. A special appearance by the EIU Homecoming Royalty Court will be held.  

Along with a live performance by 90’s Daughter, a central Illinois premier party band who covers the late 1990’s and early 2000’s greatest hits.

On Saturday, there is a pancake breakfast, a 2.5K race, the Homecoming Parade, a Tailgate and Alumni Tent City, the Homecoming football game and an Alumni Awards Dinner.

The Charleston Rotary Club is sponsoring an event allowing members of the Charleston and Eastern community to enjoy an all you can eat breakfast. 

The event will take place in Dirty’s parking lot, located at 706 Lincoln Ave. from 6:30 a.m. until 10 a.m. To eat, it will cost adults $6 and children, 11 and under, $3. All proceeds will benefit local charities. 

The 24th Annual Homecoming 2.5k Race will start at the corner of 7th St. and Lincoln Ave. 

Pre-register on or before Wednesday for $10. The cost will be $15 after Wednesday. Prizes and awards will be given to top placed finishers. 

The 2022 Homecoming Parade starts at 9:30 a.m. at the corner of 7th St. and Lincoln Ave.  

The Tailgate and Alumni Tent City features a tailgate for the Homecoming football game against the Lindenwood Lions which will begin at 11 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. in the O’Brien Stadium Parking Lot. Temporary residency will be set up and providing free food.  

The EIU Panthers will go against the Lindenwood Lions at 2 p.m. in the O’Brien Stadium for the Homecoming game. Students can attend for free with their Panther Card.

The Eastern Illinois University Alumni Association will be hosting an Alumni Awards Dinner at 6 p.m. in the MLK Jr. Union Grand Ballroom. 

They will honor the 2022 class of alumni award recipients for their achievements. 

Social hour will take place at 6 p.m. and the dinner and presentation will be at 7 p.m. Tickets will cost $45.

Cam’ron can be reached at 581-2812 or at [email protected].