UW Oshkosh Homecoming week this year has been full of fun events for students and alumni alike. 

Homecoming week has provided students with different opportunities to participate in different activities throughout the campus. 

Maddy Horstman, a senior, has participated in these events since her freshman year with her sorority, Sigma Sigma Sigma.

Horstman said she had mixed feelings going into the week as it will be her last homecoming as a student.

“[I’m feeling] happy . . . as I have made so many memories during this time, but sad since it will be my last one as a student,” she said. “I am super excited, as Tri Sigma is ready to retake first place and win the spirit award again.”

Horstman’s favorite event of the week is the flag football tournament that takes place. 

“I am most looking forward to flag football, as it has always been my favorite event every year because it gives everyone a chance to bring out their competitive spirits,” she said. “Some of my favorite memories at my time at UWO have been during flag football.”

The events left for the week include:

• Thursday, Oct. 26 – Halloween Carnival
• Friday, Oct. 27 – Homecoming Concert, featuring The Astronomers 
• Saturday Oct. 28 – Titan Tailgate Celebration, UWO football vs. UW-Stevens Point

For these events, Greek chapters are paired together to compete against other groups such as the residence halls. Horstman said she is confident in her sorority’s pairings for homecoming.

“I couldn’t have asked for a better team and a better group of chapters (Alpha Xi Delta and Sigma Pi) to work with,” she said. “The three know how to embrace school spirit and want to compete to their fullest potential.”

All the events are planned by the Reeve Union Board (RUB), and this year the Spirit Events Chair Taylor Johnson enjoyed the planning process.

“I really enjoyed planning the Homecoming events for RUB. I am new to this role, so I had a lot to learn about what goes into planning events,” Johnson said. “Luckily, I have an amazing team who helped me along the way.”

The theme for Homecoming this year is Enchanted Gardens, which was partially voted on by the student body.

“[RUB Advisor Dylan Bram] sent me a list of themes that were voted on last year by the student body,” Johnson said. “I really wanted to make sure that the theme was different from what has been done in the past few years for more variety.”

Johnson hopes students attend the events this week, as some changes were made this year to the homecoming events. 

“We changed some aspects of Homecoming week in order to have less events, but to make the events bigger,” she said. “The goal for Homecoming this year is to try to get more of the student body involved in Homecoming week, even if they don’t belong to an organization.”

Johnson said she is looking forward to watching the events of the week unfold and an event new to homecoming. 

“I am most looking forward to seeing these events that we have been planning come to life,” she said. “I am especially excited for the homecoming concert featuring The Astronomers since it is a new event this year.”

One of the last events of Homecoming week is the game on Saturday, which includes the crowing of Homecoming royalty.

Maxwell Rinn, one of the members of the court, is excited about all the events that come with Homecoming week. 

“[I’m looking forward to] all the events happening on campus and having my friends and family coming down and supporting me,” he said. “I’m also looking forward to being recognized as being someone that’s super involved in campus like Titan TV, 90.3 WRST.”

The event he’s most looking forward to is Zach’s Bingo Hall.

“I’ve attended a couple of times and it’s always been a fun time,” Rinn said. 

Rinn also has family coming to Oshkosh for the Homecoming crowning on Saturday.

“I’m looking forward to my family coming down for Saturday’s football game and just seeing me at the 50-yard line (and) cheering on for me,” he said.

The game will begin on Saturday at 1:35 p.m. with the Titan Tailgate Celebration event beforehand in Reeve Memorial Union. 

The Homecoming events are welcome for all students to attend throughout the week leading up to the big game, and Horstman gave advice to students about attending. 

“Homecoming is one of the best things at UWO, and just embrace it and show up to events,” she said. “It’s the best way to make friends and lasting memories for the rest of your college career.”