Homecoming brings University of Oregon students, alumni and families together, but there will also be plenty of opportunities for staff to plug into the big weekend, starting Friday.
Roughly a dozen events are lined up for Homecoming 2025. Anchoring everything is the Homecoming Pep Rally, starting at 3:30 p.m. Friday in the Green just east of the Erb Memorial Union.
Showcasing a “Grateful Duck” theme, the rally includes live DJ sets; performances by the Green Garter Band, the Duck and the Oregon Cheerleaders; giveaways; $25 Duck Store prizes; photo opps under giant UO Arch and “O” backdrops; cornhole and other lawn games; and sponsor tables for the Student Alumni Association, Voodoo Doughnut, Bigfoot Beverages and more.
“This year’s ‘Grateful Duck’ theme says it all,” said Angela Lauer Chong, vice president for Student Life. “We’re grateful for the spirit, creativity and joy that Homecoming brings to the university. I’m excited to see students, families, alumni and staff come together to celebrate everything that makes being a Duck so special.”
Homecoming weekend also features:
- Fall Family Weekend, hosted by Dee Dee Kanikkeberg, director of Parent and Family Programs, provides numerous fun-filled activities for first-year families.
- A one-hour behind-the-scenes look at the Erb Memorial Union, beginning at 4:30 p.m. Friday at the O Desk.
- A Special Homecoming Lonely Craft Sale, which features unique, handcrafted items from UO studios (noon, Friday, EMU Craft Center). Another option: bead a colorful “SCO Ducks” friendship bracelet at Creative Crafts (1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m., Friday, EMU Crater Lake South).
- Run, Walk, and Roll with the Duck 5k, a free 5k run, walk and roll that begins at noon Friday at Riverfront Field, on the south side of the Frohnmayer Pedestrian and Bicycle Bridge (pre-registration encouraged).
- Homecoming celebration for the EMU’s 75th anniversary: Open to the UO community and the general public, this Oct. 24 event in the Redwood Auditorium honors past EMU board members and university alumni. The celebration includes a tour of the EMU after the 3:30 p.m. pep rally on the EMU Green. Attendees can pick up exclusive game day swag for Saturday’s football game against Wisconsin and cheer on the team; tickets cost $20 for dinner or $100 for dinner and game. The evening begins with appetizers at 6 p.m. and dinner from 7 to 9 p.m. Participants are invited to help preserve the facility’s legacy by sharing their EMU story. Interviews will be recorded and submitted to the UO library as part of the living history of the EMU and the university.
It’s all tailored to giving everyone a taste of Eugene, the university and what makes Ducks, Ducks. Visit Homecoming 2025 for information on the weekend, transportation and travel, Saturday’s game against the Badgers and more.
—Matt Cooper, University Communications