Colorado State University will invite students, CSU alumni and community members to its annual Homecoming and Family Weekend beginning Oct. 16. Multiple events will be held over the course of three days to celebrate CSU’s cultivation of community and excellence through the decades.

Below is a comprehensive schedule of the planned events.

Distinguished Alumni Awards

Homecoming festivities will begin on Thursday with a ceremony honoring notable CSU alumni who have brought honor to the university through significant philanthropy and professional achievements. The ceremony will begin with a 5 p.m. cocktail reception in the Lory Student Center Ballrooms and will end with an awards program in the LSC Theatre from 7-9 p.m. Guests are required to register and purchase a ticket beforehand. 

Finding Your Home: Housing Options for Next Year and Beyond

A panel presented by Off-Campus Life, Housing and Dining Services and Parking and Transportation will outline housing options for students after their first year at CSU Oct. 17. Check in will begin at 8 a.m. in front of LSC Ballrooms D and C, where light breakfast items will be available. Guests are asked to RSVP beforehand.

Homecoming Housing Tour

Off-Campus Life will invite students, parents and families to tour off-campus housing options from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 17. CSU vans will take participants to a variety of properties that are a part of the Good Neighbor Program, a CSU-sponsored project that holds student-geared housing facilities to specific ethical standards. The tour presents an opportunity for students to familiarize themselves with housing options, available resources and the broader Fort Collins area. Guests are asked to register prior, but walk-ins are welcome.

50 Year Club Luncheon

The CSU Alumni Association and the 50 Year Club Committee will induct the class of 1975 into the 50 Year Club and will honor two notable club members with a luncheon held at The Hilton hotel on West Prospect Road. The pre-reception will begin at 10:30 a.m. Oct. 17, while the luncheon and awards ceremony will run from 11:45 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Guests are asked to purchase tickets beforehand.

Festival on The Oval

Aptly named, the annual festival will be held on The Oval Oct. 17 from 3-6 p.m. and will feature live music, a beverage garden, over 100 interactive booths and more. The event is free and open to the public.

Friday Night Lights

Directly following the Festival on The Oval, the CSU Marching Band and Spirit Squads will guide crowds to the coveted CSU tradition, featuring a pep rally, drone show and an illumination of the LSC west wing. Held on the western side of the LSC from 6-9 p.m., Friday Night Lights is a consistent highlight of homecoming weekend.

ASCSU Alumni Reunion

Associated Students of CSU President Jakye Nunley and CSU President Amy Parsons will greet ASCSU alumni Oct. 17 in this year’s reunion, themed “ASCSU through the years.” Held in LSC Ballroom D from 6-9 p.m., the reunion will give guests the opportunity to reconnect and chat over light refreshments. The event is free, but guests are asked to register beforehand.

Student and Alumni Excellence Dinner

The Black/African American Cultural Center and CSU Alumni Association will host the fourth annual Student and Alumni Excellence Dinner to discuss this year’s theme “B/AACC Where We Belong.” The dinner, held in the LSC Theatre Oct. 17 from 7-10 p.m., aims to highlight the legacy of excellence left by Black and African American CSU alumni. Guests are required to purchase tickets beforehand. 

A Night Under the Stars at the Madison-Macdonald Observatory

The department of physics will host a A Night Under the Stars Oct. 17 at the Madison-Macdonald Observatory in celebration of its 60th anniversary. The event will kick off with a lecture by Kevin Hardegree-Ullman at 6:30 p.m. in the Biology Building’s room 136 before participants make their way to the observatory around 7:15 p.m. After mapping the universe, engaging in physics workshops and stargazing, the night will come to a close at 8:30 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. A detailed schedule with the event’s planned route can be found on the CSU College of Natural Sciences website.

Homecoming 5K Run

In the 45th annual rendition of the Homecoming 5K Race, Fort Collins community members are encouraged to bolster their fitness and school spirit as thousands take to campus for a 3-mile run. A staple of the university’s relationship with the larger community, participants can also join the race virtually. Students, kids and groups receive discounts on registration fees, though prices will increase as the race nears. 

Football Game Day: Ram Walk Tailgate

In an opportunity to carb-load after the 5k run, the intramural fields and the Iris & Michael Smith Alumni Center will host parents, alumni and students for an afternoon packed with old friends, family fun and photos with CAM the Ram. Admission to the tailgate is free and open to everyone, though a catered barbecue meal and other food and drink options will be available for purchase.

CSU vs. Hawaii

Following game day festivities, the Rams will kick off against the University of Hawaii’s football team at 5 p.m. In their first home game of the conference season, the team hopes to rebound after a disappointing beginning to the 2025 campaign.