ENMU homecoming festivities ramping up

PORTALES — Eastern New Mexico is celebrating homecoming.

Festivities ramp up on Friday.

The president's backyard barbecue will begin at 6 p.m. at the president's home at 1600 W. Cherry St., said Alumni Affairs Director Annamaria Short.

"We haven't had that for the last couple of years, but with the new president (Jeff Elwell), we wanted to invite everybody to come and meet him," she said.

A bonfire and pep rally are also set for Friday, at 7:10 p.m. at Greyhound Stadium.

Kicking off at 11:15 a.m. Saturday is the homecoming parade, which Short said has changed somewhat from last year.

Aside from a later time slot, the parade route has changed. Floats will now line up on South Abilene Avenue and travel down West First Street, ending in the parking lot of the ENMU Theater Center.

"We're just going back with the original route, but it's going to be much shorter, so we're hoping that works for everybody," Short said.

Registration is open until Friday, and can be completed at enmu.edu/alumni, or by contacting alumni affairs at 575-562-2125.

After Saturday's parade, promoters are suggesting Greyhound Stadium for tailgating from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Alumni affairs will be celebrating in its own tent, joined by the members of the 1957 undefeated ENMU football team.

The tent will be hosting giveaways throughout the tailgate, Short said.

The homecoming football game is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. Saturday against the University of Texas-Permian Basin.

Sunday will see the 1957 team honored with a farewell breakfast at 10 a.m. in the Campus Union Building.

"I can't speak for last year, because I wasn't here last year, but I do know that every day, it's like we're getting more and more people that are excited for the parade," Short said.

She remembered a call her office received in September from a particularly excited alumnus.

"They called and said, 'We're bringing an R.V. full of about 15 alum, and we're going to be heading to the president's house, so make sure you have a lot of barbecue,'" she said.