In celebration of Herky’s 60th birthday, Sacramento State students, staff, faculty members and alumni are determined to make this year’s Homecoming unforgettable. The week, which includes various activities and sporting events, began on Monday and will continue through Saturday with the football kickoff against University of Montana at 2:05 p.m.

Richard Rojo, the director of Strategic Communications, said Sac State’s many organizations have worked diligently to make this year’s Homecoming a big one.

Julian Garcia, a junior communication studies major and the current president of Nu Alpha Kappa, said that in past years, people have not showed much support for homecoming or its events. He said, however, that since this year marks Sac State’s 60th anniversary, people are expected to be more involved in the event.

“Everyone will be way more into it this year,” said Randy Nunez, junior communication studies major.

The main priority is to engage not only football fans, but the entire community, in the homecoming event by organizing numerous homecoming activities that will occur over the course of the week.

“There are so many ways of getting into this, even if you’re not a football fan,” Rojo said.

The homecoming activities include contests, concerts and reunions, among other events.

The week will conclude with the pregame Homecoming Festival on homecoming day this Saturday at 10 a.m.

“I think there will be more excitement for this (homecoming),” said Zenia Dionko, UNIQUE program adviser.

The festival will feature a number of open houses and reunions, as well as music by Afro-beat and blues-rock band, Mumbo Gumbo. Disc Jockeys from Sac State’s KSSU radio station will also be in attendance.

Tailgating contests for students and alumni will also take place at the festival.

Sac State students and alumni can demonstrate school spirit and win cash prizes by participating in the festival’s tailgate competition, which will begin at 10 a.m. The best student tailgate will receive $200 with the best alumni tailgate set to receive $200, a tailgate plaque, a public recognition announcement during the football game, and a “reigning champs” banner to display at the university’s next game.

The festival will also feature a “Kids Zone” to make the event enjoyable for children, which will include a jump house, face painting and a mascot meet and greet.

Other contests this week include poster designs and a Herky tribute video.

Students designed posters yesterday in the University Union’s Forrest Suite which are displayed today in the in the Library Quad. The winners will be announced during the Homecoming game and may win $500, $200, and $100 prizes.

Noon on Friday is the deadline to submit the Herky Tribute videos to YouTube, an event sponsored by the Sac State Alumni Association, for a chance to win an 80-gigabyte iPod Classic.

YouTube viewers may also rate the videos, and the winning “People’s Choice” entry will receive a four-giga byte iPod Nano.

Other homecoming related activities include the Golden Grads Reunion, which is sponsored by Alumni Relations, and a Luncheon today at 11:30 p.m. for those alumni who graduated between the years of 1949 to 1958.

UNIQUE will also hold the Ifugao Music & Dance Ensemble of Banaue tomorrow at 7:30 p.m. in the University Union Ballroom followed by the annual Hornet Sports-sponsored Stinger Golf Classic on Friday, 12 p.m. at Woodcreek Golf Club.

Rojo said homecoming helps people get excited about the campus.

“It’s a fun thing to do and it helps to build community,” Rojo said. “It’s something we want to do a better job of.”

Evelyn Bigelyaizen can be reached at [email protected].