The University of South Florida will celebrate Homecoming Oct. 8-14 with a week full of activities that energize all three ľ¹ÏÊÓÆµ campuses to come alive in a show of support and university pride. The Tampa Bay community is invited to join students, alumni, faculty and staff at dozens of events, including a concert, carnival, talent show, parade and the ľ¹ÏÊÓÆµ football game against Florida Atlantic on Saturday, Oct. 14, at Raymond James Stadium.
Homecoming is one of ľ¹ÏÊÓÆµ's oldest traditions, dating back to 1964, one year after the first graduating class. It provides an opportunity to celebrate the impact ľ¹ÏÊÓÆµ alumni make on the Tampa Bay region and beyond. There are more than 374,000 living ľ¹ÏÊÓÆµ alumni; approximately 270,000 of them live in Florida and more than 3,300 work at their alma mater.
Key Homecoming events scheduled include:
Monday, Oct. 9, at 6:30 p.m. – Homecoming Kickoff & Lip Sync battle (Tampa campus)
Held in the Marshall Student Center Ballroom, hang with Rocky, hear the Herd of Thunder band, enjoy free food, grab promotional items, meet the Homecoming Royal Court and be engaged with ľ¹ÏÊÓÆµ Homecoming 2023. This event is free for ľ¹ÏÊÓÆµ students and the community.
Tuesday, Oct. 10, at 7 p.m. – NPHC Extravaganza Step Show (Tampa campus)
The National Pan-Hellenic Council was chartered in 1996 and has carried out the tradition of stepping in what we now know as the Extravaganza Step Show. Held in the Marshall Student Center Ballroom, this free event offers students and the community a chance to learn about the history of stepping and see the creative skills. This is the first time since 2015 the show will take place.
Wednesday, Oct. 11, at 3 p.m. – Cardboard Boat Race (St. Petersburg campus)
Teams of students and staff are set to build boats out of cardboard, duct tape and trash bags and race them in Bayboro Harbor. This year, the race will be broken into several heats, with more than 20 boats participating. Turn out at the Harborlawn to watch the competition.
Thursday, Oct. 12, at 8 p.m. – Homecoming Concert (Tampa campus)
This event, held at the Yuengling Center, features Lunay and Baby Tate. Tickets are $25 for the public; $10 for students; $15 for a student guest; and $20 for ľ¹ÏÊÓÆµ faculty, staff and alumni and can be purchased online from the link on the Homecoming website.
Friday, Oct. 13, at 5 p.m. – Homecoming Carni-Bull (Tampa campus)
Held in ľ¹ÏÊÓÆµ Parking Lot #35 (along ľ¹ÏÊÓÆµ Genshaft Drive, next to ľ¹ÏÊÓÆµ tennis courts), students and the community can enjoy rides, food, and performances by talented ľ¹ÏÊÓÆµ students. There will be a variety of family friendly and adult rides, at no cost, for all ages to enjoy. Food will be available for purchase.
Friday, Oct. 13, at 6:30 p.m. – Homecoming Running of the Bulls Parade (Tampa campus)
Take part in a ľ¹ÏÊÓÆµ tradition and support your favorite student organizations, local businesses and ľ¹ÏÊÓÆµ departments. With watch parties and lots of fun along the route, it's the perfect environment for families and students alike. Watch along Holly Drive, Genshaft Drive and Alumni Drive. This year's Grand Marshall, Joseph Dituri, is an associate professor at ľ¹ÏÊÓÆµ. He recently set a world record for living 100 days in an underwater habitat as part of a research project.
Saturday, Oct. 14, at 3:30 p.m. – ľ¹ÏÊÓÆµ Football vs. FAU -- Head over to Raymond James Stadium to support the ľ¹ÏÊÓÆµ Bulls as they take on the Florida Atlantic University Owls. Tickets are available for purchase
A complete list of events on all campuses can be found on ľ¹ÏÊÓÆµâ€™s Homecoming website.