Central Block Party gets students excited for Homecoming

Illinois sophomore Jason Clements, left, throws a bean-bag as he plays a game of corn hole with Rockford sophomore Mackenzie Guest as Goodrich sophomore Dylan Brown watches Monday afternoon during the homecoming block party at the Bovee University Center. (Jeffrey Smith / Staff Photographer)

The Office of Student Life turned up the hype Monday in the Bovee University Center student lounge.

Central Michigan University kicked off its first student body homecoming event, holding Central Block Party in the UC.

From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., a couple hundred students gathered to enjoy free hot dogs, cookies and coffee, play games for T-shirts and bandanas while listening to live music and celebrating the Homecoming Week theme “All that Glitters is Chippewa Gold.”

Rockford senior and Homecoming committee member Megan Ellinger said the event is held to get students excited for Saturday’s game.

“It’s what we do to get students to realize Homecoming is this weekend,” she said.

Ellinger said in the past, the annual event has been held outside, but this year the committee decided to hold the event inside for multiple reasons, including the unpredictable weather.

“It’s a more intimate setting,” she said.

White Lake senior and special events coordinator Michelle Vermilya said having the event in the UC draws in many students who might not have heard of the event and are passing by on their way to class.

She said the event does a good job of bringing students together.

“There’s free food and coffee and in it to win it games with prizes,” she said. “It’s to get the hype going.”

The block party marked the first Monday event during homecoming week, which were preceded by the Homecoming kick-off concert featuring The All-American Rejects, Boys Like Girls and The Ready Set, as well as the beginning of the medallion hunt Sunday at 11 p.m.

Other homecoming events will be held in Finch Fieldhouse each night this week, starting with the Chippewa Food Relay tonight at 6 p.m.

The Homecoming parade begins at 11 a.m. Saturday before the CMU football team takes on Ball State University at 3:30 p.m. at Kelly/Shorts Stadium.