When the 'A' on Sentinel Peak begins to glow at dusk on Oct. 13, the University of Arizona's Homecoming week will officially be underway.

The Bobcats Senior Honorary's traditional lighting of 'A' Mountain with red flares will kick off Homecoming festivities for alumni, students, parents and other campus visitors. Themed "Desert Bound," this year's Homecoming celebration runs through Oct. 19.

"I hope alumni coming home get a chance to visit old haunts and see some of the new beautiful spaces on campus like the Grand Challenges Research Building or the Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine," said Jonelle Vold, a 2001 alumna and U of A Foundation senior vice president for alumni engagement. "Most importantly, I hope they get a chance to talk with a current student and hear about their U of A experience. I imagine, or expect, that many alumni will see a bit of themselves in the student's stories and remember how the university shaped their own Wildcat journey."

Club Olympics, photo contest

During Homecoming's Spirit Week, members of campus clubs will compete in the Club Olympics, hosted by the Bobcats Senior Honorary. The event will take place Oct. 15-17, from 12-12:50 p.m. daily, and will culminate with the popular mud tug-of-war.

Throughout the week, faculty, staff and students are also invited to don red and blue and submit photos that showcase their Wildcat spirit to a Spirit Week photo contest, hosted on the Arizona Alumni Instagram channel. Alumni will vote on the photos, and the favorites will be displayed on the Jumbotron during the Arizona vs. Colorado football game on Oct. 19 at Arizona Stadium.

"Spirit Week is an opportunity to involve the entire university community in Homecoming and remind us that every one of us is an important piece of what makes this university a special place to return to," Vold said.

TEDxUofA: Desert Genius

This year's Homecoming festivities also include TEDxUofA: Desert Genius, a collection of talks by U of A researchers on various topics related to the resilience and ingenuity of the desert, including urban heat, dark skies, food as medicine, digital poetry archives and more. The event will take place on Oct. 18 at Centennial Hall. Tickets are $5 and can be purchased online. 

"TEDxUofA is an incredible showcase of U of A ingenuity," said John-Paul Roczniak, president and CEO of the University of Arizona Foundation. "We are thrilled to share it with alumni and friends of the university as part of Homecoming 2024. 

Additional Homecoming highlights

• Oct. 16-18: Swede Johnson Building Alumni Welcome Lounge | 9 a.m.-3 p.m. daily
• Oct. 17: 50th Class Reunion and Silver and Sage Society Reception | 4:30-6:30 p.m.
• Oct. 18: Bear Down Friday Pep Rally | 5-7 p.m.
• Oct. 18: Bonfire and Royalty Crowning | 7-8:30 p.m.
• Oct. 19: Wildcat for Life Tailgate and Tents on the Mall | 8 a.m.
• Oct. 19: Arizona vs. Colorado football game | 1 p.m. 

Additional information, including a complete schedule of events, is available on the Homecoming website.