There's no magic number that will make this weekend's University of Arizona homecoming - the 125th - the biggest ever. But there are a number of factors that are pointing to a whopping celebration.
Some of the events are timely and sentimental, befitting homecoming: A parade with Lute Olson as the grand marshal tops the bill on both counts. All but the newest students and Tucsonans know Olson as the winningest basketball coach in UA history, while a new era with a promising basketball coach and team has softened the edge on the troubling years of Olson's hiatus and short return.
UA fans are coming into this year's homecoming with some experience at big-time partying. There's been an increase in pep-rally and tailgating participation over the last several years.
"It's grown," said Jane McCollum, general manager of the Marshall Foundation, which started Bear Down Fridays - a pep rally series - in Main Gate Square five years ago. Friday's festivities are timed to wrap around the UA's official homecoming kickoff celebration with the football team and a bonfire.
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And she says it's not all about having a powerful football team with a chance of finishing strong in the Pac-10 for the first time in a long time. "There's absolutely more people that will come out to support a winning team, but even in losing seasons of the past, they came out."
McCollum says pep rallies, and homecoming in particular, are about "reliving your childhood" and hanging out with like-minded people.
"To me it's always about the gathering of people together to support common things," McCollum said. "It overcomes all gender, race and economics. You can talk to a myriad of people, and they're all talking about the same thing."
Main Gate Square's pep rally includes the UA marching band, Wilbur and Wilma, cheerleaders, homecoming royalty, the Black & Blue Hip Hop Crew and other musical entertainment.
Fire is primal stuff and seems to be a part of homecoming. Besides the bonfire west of Old Main, the festivities at Main Gate Square include Elemental Artistry, billed as "an hour of mystery and magic, including aerial trapeze performance" and the ever-more-popular fire dancing.
It's not all football rah-rah stuff (although it probably doesn't hurt that this year's Wildcats aren't a bunch of pushovers; in fact, they're nationally ranked). New this year, for those who want a little mental stimulation, the Collegiate and Campus Showcase on Friday offers free drop-in seminars (on a space-available basis) with some of UA's brightest talking about their fields.
The headier alumni attractions include a book signing with UA grads J.A. Jance, Bisbee mystery author; and Jay Dobyns, UA football-star-turned-pro-turned-ATF-undercover-Hells-Angel-infiltrator-turned-author. The pair will be signing books at the main UA Bookstore on Saturday.
