The fleet of foot will get the ball rolling on Homecoming Week 2018.
The Raginā Road Race at 8 a.m. on Sunday, Oct. 7, kicks off a slew of activities and events that will be held in the days leading up to the Homecoming football game on Saturday, Oct. 13.
The race begins and ends near the Ā鶹Ņ¹ŹŠ Alumni Center, 600 E. St. Mary Blvd. Participants will run through Girard Park, past campus landmarks such as the Quadrangle and along the Walk of Honor.
Competitors in athletic gear wonāt by only ones running a 5K course. āSpiritedā runners wearing Louisiana Raginā Cajuns- or Homecoming-themed costumes will be among the field.
āIt adds an element of fun. Other runners seem to get a kick out of it, too,ā said event chair Lauren Bonnette, ā11.
Last year, one competitor ran alongside his dog. Both were decked out in matching Louisiana Raginā Cajuns jerseys.
Overall first- and second-place men and women finishers will be recognized. So will men and women competitors who place first and second in a range of age groups.
Red beans and rice will be served at an after-party to be held at the Alumni Center. The event is open to the public.
More cuisine will be served on Monday, Oct. 8, during the Allons Manger Food Truck Roundup. It will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Alumni Center. The event is open to the public.
Cāest Bon Manger, The Bus Stop, KOK Wings and Mad LuAnns will sell sandwiches, chicken wings, desserts and other fare. Southern Chics Boutique with sell clothes and accessories.
Event chair Emily Girlinghouse, '13, '16, said many students and faculty members stop by for a bite between classes. āWe have a lot who just follow their noses and drift over.ā
A Campus Scavenger Hunt for students will be held at 7 p.m. Monday. They will meet at the Atchafalaya Room in the Student Union then track down spots on campus that will remain secret until just before the hunt begins.
Once students reach destinations, they will have to find objects at each location, said Karli Sherman, University Program Council assistant director.
Participants will also be required to complete assignments, such as singing the University fight song.
Volunteers at each spot will hand out stickers that signify tasks have been carried out. The team or person who returns to the Atchafalaya Room first ā after meeting all scavenger hunt requirements ā will win the competition.
No registration is required for the hunt. Participants must show their University IDs.
Visit for more information about Homecoming 2018, or contact Summer Hvasta at summer.hvasta@hilton.com