Emporia State students enjoyed a change of scenery—and good eats—Thursday at the university’s annual Homecoming bonfire.
The bonfire, held outside the Student Recreation Center, included a performance by the Marching Hornets and the annual Yell Like Hell competition. The competition, most often between fraternities, sororities and the Marching Hornets, but sometimes other student organizations, requires organizations to perform a creative chant the loudest to be named Yell Like Hell champion.
It also brought in local food truck vendors The Daily Station, Keke’s, and JD’s Sweet Treats, and offered food vouchers and free Homecoming t-shirts to students.
“I think it’s so much more interactive for the students. It’s very, very cool,” said senior communication and biology major and Homecoming Queen Presley Johnson while waiting in a food truck line. “I like just how big it is. Like, we’re making it an event for not only the students, but (the) community. Just a lot of involvement.”
This year presented stark changes to years past when the bonfire was housed in Wilson Park near the Towers Complex. Senior Director of Student Life Jaden Rahe said the changes aimed to bring the community in on the festivities and create a “really good vibe to Homecoming.”
“(We wanted to) just bring it into a new area where we could bring in different aspects to it to really make it more of … just a hangout opportunity for students to come get food and just really start to enjoy the Homecoming weekend,” Rahe said.
Freshman health and human performance major Jaden Stuhlsatz said the bonfire was “a fun way to spend the night with your friends.” The scale of the event and inclusion of food trucks is something she would like to see continue in the future.
“I’m excited to see how it will grow from here,” she said.
