Contact: Sasha Steinberg

STARKVILLE, Miss.—Mississippi State’s Student Association is kicking off the university’s annual Homecoming Week with a special service Sunday [October 15] at the historic Chapel of Memories.

Free to all, the weekend program will include remarks by MSU Vice President for Student Affairs Regina Hyatt and a performance by the university’s Black Voices Gospel Choir.

“Under the Big Top: Maroon and White Edition” is the theme of this year’s traditional fall semester “welcome back” for the 139-year-old land-grant institution’s graduates, former students, friends and supporters.

Other free Homecoming Week 2017 events include:

—Monday [the 16th], 8-10 a.m., “Pancakes with President Mark E. Keenum,” taking place on the Colvard Student Union Plaza near the historic Drill Field. MSU Homecoming Queen Victoria V. Vivians of Forest and Homecoming King Anthony C. Daniels of Brookhaven will be in attendance, along with MSU vice presidents and deans.

—Tuesday [the 17th], a Homecoming Comedy Show featuring members from MTV’s “Wild ’N Out” sketch comedy and improvisational series performing at 7 p.m. in Lee Hall’s Bettersworth Auditorium.

—Wednesday [the 18th], “Spider-Man: Homecoming” will be shown during “Movie on the Drill,” a 7-9 p.m. event on the Drill Field featuring free popcorn and popsicles. In case of inclement weather, the event will be held in Lee Hall.

—Thursday [the 19th], a Homecoming Carnival featuring free carnival rides, booths and inflatables for MSU students takes place 2-10 p.m. in the parking lot at the Newell-Grissom Building.

—Friday [the 20th], “True Maroon Friday” takes place 11 a.m.-1 p.m. on the Drill Field. T-shirts, phone wallets, cups and other “True Maroon” giveaways will be available. Attendees also can sign homecoming banners that will hang in the Colvard Student Union.

—Friday [the 20th], the campus National Pan-Hellenic Council’s step show “#StompFest2017” takes place 7-10 p.m. at Humphrey Coliseum, with doors opening at 6:30 p.m. Students who present a valid MSU student ID may purchase $5 tickets in the Office of Fraternity and Sorority’s Suite 300 on the third floor of Colvard Student Union. General admission tickets cost $10 and are available online at events.msstate.edu.

Homecoming concludes Saturday [the 21st] with the MSU vs. University of Kentucky football game that kicks off at 3 p.m. at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field. The homecoming court, along with this year’s Mr. and Miss MSU, will be presented at halftime.

For more information on the Student Association, visit www.sa.msstate.edu. Follow on Facebook @MSUStudentAssociation and Twitter and Instagram @MSU_SA.

MSU is Mississippi’s leading university, available online at www.msstate.edu.