DURHAM, N.H.—The University of New Hampshire welcomes alumni and friends back to campus for Homecoming Weekend Oct. 8-10, 2010. The weekend is packed with a wide range of events and activities for the whole family.

Friday Events

Throughout the day and into the evening on Friday, Oct. 8, there will be panel discussions, receptions and performances hosted in various locations on campus, including the Whittemore School of Business and Economics, the Center for International Education and the music, outdoor education and health policy and management departments. At 5:30 p.m., the traditional Blue and White Parade -- complete with floats, giveaways, military vehicles, bands, cheerleaders, and dancers -- will travel from Quad Way to the Whittemore Center via Main Street. All are invited to the Museum of Art from 5-7 p.m. for an opening reception for the university's yearlong Arts for Life celebration. At 6:30 p.m., the UNH Alumni Association will host the Annual Alumni Awards Ceremony to recognize alumni who have made significant contributions to the association, the university and society. The rock opera Rent will be performed at 7 p.m. at the Johnson Theater, Paul Creative Arts Center, and the observatory will be open for star gazing from 8-10 p.m. A fireworks display at 9:30 will end the evening.

Saturday Road Race

Saturday's activities will kick off with a 5K road race at 9 a.m. on Main Street near the Field House. Registration for the road race begins at 7:30 a.m. in the Whittemore Center. Runners can also register beforehand by visiting the front desk at the Hamel Recreation Center. More than 50 volunteers are needed to help the race run smoothly. Volunteers receive a race shirt and are eligible for door prizes. For more information, call (603) 862-2031 or visit the Campus Recreation website at http://campusrec.unh.edu.

Saturday Presentations, Tailgating, Gatherings and Activities

Two presentations will be held in the morning from 9-10:30. The admissions office will present a glimpse into the college admissions process, and Nancy Kinner, professor of civil and environmental engineering and director of UNH's Coastal Response Research Center, will discuss the economic and environmental impact of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill.

Traditional tailgating will be held on Boulder Field ($15 per car) and Parking Lot A ($10 per car) from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. A ticket to the football game is required for entry to the tailgating areas. Judging for the 6th Annual Homecoming Tailgating Cook-Off will be held at 10:00 a.m., with a grand prize of a gas grill.

From 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., the UNH Alumni Association tent, located behind Bremner Field, will provide a free barbeque and beverages plus children's activities and more. University Dining Services will offer alumni a special rate of $8.75 for brunch and $8.75 for dinner at Holloway Commons from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

A number of alumni groups will hold special tailgating gatherings under other tents near the Alumni Association tent. These groups will include the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences and its CEPS Alumni Society, the Whittemore School of Business and Economics, the Center for International Education, the Hamel Center for Undergraduate Research and the UNH Honors Program.

Afternoon and evening events will include art exhibitions at the Museum of Art in Paul Creative Arts Center from 1-5 p.m., the rock opera "Rent" at 7 p.m. in Johnson Theater and an open house at Paul Creative Arts Center. From 3-9 p.m. the Homecoming Carnival on Scott Hall lawn will include caricatures, a four-sided rock climbing wall, airbrush pennants, balloon art, food and more.

Saturday Athletic Events

The UNH football game against the University of Richmond will begin in Cowell Stadium at noon. For general admission tickets, visit https://www.events.unh.edu/RegistrationForm.pm?event_id=7599. At 5 p.m., UNH women's field hockey will play the University of Vermont (Memorial Field) and at 7 p.m., UNH men's soccer will play the University of Maryland (Bremner Field).

Sunday Events

On Sunday, Oct. 10, homecoming festivities continue with the men's alumni soccer game at 11 a.m. at Bremner Field. At 1 p.m., former studio art faculty members Arthur Balderacci and Melvin Zabarsky will speak on "The Birth of the UNH Art Department." The Museum of Art will present an exhibit of recent work by 13 studio art faculty members. "Rent," the rock opera, will be performed at 2 p.m. in Johnson Theater. The weekend's events will concluded with a 7 p.m. show with comedian Lewis Black on his "In God We Rust" tour at the Field House. Tickets available at the MUB Ticket Office.

For More Information

For more information about Homecoming 2010 and to register for events, call (603) 862-2040, e-mail alumni@unh.edu or visit http://alumni.unh.edu/keep/homecoming.

The University of New Hampshire, founded in 1866, is a world-class public research university with the feel of a New England liberal arts college. A land, sea, and space-grant university, UNH is the state's flagship public institution, enrolling more than 12,200 undergraduate and 2,200 graduate students.

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