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Dates, Deadlines & Registrations

October 19-25, 2025

Campus Activities

Photo Contest

Campus departments and offices are invited to participate in the annual Homecoming Spirit Photo Contest. Departments and offices should take a photo displaying their Bearcat spirit and pride while reflecting the Homecoming theme.

All submissions will be posted to Northwest Homecoming Instagram and Twitter accounts (@NWhomecoming), where the number of likes on an image are counted as votes. Retweets and shares are not count toward vote totals but are encouraged.

Offices interested in participating should submit photos via email to hocopr@nwmissouri.edu by the deadline below. Refer to the Homecoming bylaws for detailed rules and regulations.

Event Location Date Time
Photo submissions due Email to hocopr@nwmissouri.edu 10/18/25 5 p.m.
Photos posted Posted to all Homecoming social media accounts 10/19/25 5 p.m.
Voting ends - 10/23/25 5 p.m.
Winner announcement Homecoming Variety Show 10/23/25 Intermission

Questions? Contact hocopr@nwmissouri.edu or call 660.562.1496

Banner

Banner decorating has long been a Northwest Homecoming tradition. Student organizations are invited to submit a banner with their best and most original expression of Bearcat pride and the year’s Homecoming theme. All submitted banners will be displayed at the J.W. Student Union during the week of Homecoming. A panel of Northwest employees and community members will judge the banners and select winners. Refer to the Homecoming bylaws for detailed rules and regulations.

Event Location Date Time
Banner entries due BearcatLink 10/13/25 11:59 p.m.
Banner turn-in J.W. Jones Student Union, Office of Student Involvement 10/17/25 12:00 p.m.
Banner hanging J.W. Jones Student Union 10/19/25 12:00 p.m.
Banner judging J.W. Jones Student Union 10/20/25 12:00 p.m.
Banner tear-down J.W. Jones Student Union 10/26/25 12:00 p.m.
Banner pickup J.W. Jones Student Union, Office of Student Involvement 10/27 - 10/31 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Questions? Contact hocophil@nwmissouri.edu or call 660.562.1496

Donation Creation

Donation Creation features Bearcat structural engineering and creativity. Using only non-perishable food items, student organizations are invited to create a structure that represents their best and most original expression of Bearcat pride and the year’s Homecoming theme.

All Donation Creation structures are placed on the second floor of the J.W. Jones Student Union for display during the week of Homecoming. A panel of Northwest employees and community members judge the Donation Creation entries and select winners. A secondary People’s Choice competition gives community members the opportunity to vote for their favorite Donation Creation entries by providing donations of non-perishable food items.

All non-perishables collected are donated to area food pantries. Refer to the Homecoming bylaws for detailed descriptions rules and regulations.

Event Location Date Time
Donation Creation entries due BearcatLink 10/17/25 12:00 p.m.
Donation Creation setup J.W. Jones Student Union 10/19/25 12:00 p.m. - 4 p.m.
Donation Creation judging J.W. Jones Student Union 10/20/25 12:00 p.m.
Donation Creation tear down J.W. Jones Student Union 10/26/25 12:00 p.m.
Take Items to Ministry Center J.W. Jones Student Union 10/26/25 2:00 p.m.

Questions? Contact hocophil@nwmissouri.edu or call 660.562.1496

Variety Show

The Homecoming Variety Show is a compilation of student performances, including skits and olio acts (miscellaneous performances), and concludes with the crowning of Northwest's Homecoming king and queen.

Students are invited to participate in the Variety Show as student organizations or individuals while expressing their Bearcat Pride and representing the year’s Homecoming theme through their performance. Refer to the Homecoming bylaws for detailed rules and regulations.

To purchase your Variety Show tickets, please go here.

Event Location Date Time
Skit entries due BearcatLink 4/25/25 5 p.m.
Skit draft due BearcatLink TBD TBD
Variety Show tryouts Olive DeLuce Fine Arts Building, Charles Johnson Theater (CJT) TBD 6-10 p.m.
Finalists announced Email TBD TBD
Script read-through with theater techs TBD TBD TBD
Final scripts due BearcatLink TBD 5 p.m.
Prop load-in Ron Houston Center for the Performing Arts 10/19/25 12:00 p.m.
Skit technical rehearsal Ron Houston Center for the Performing Arts 10/15/25 5 p.m.
Olio technical rehearsal Ron Houston Center for the Performing Arts 10/15/25 5 p.m.
Tech rehearsal Ron Houston Center for the Performing Arts 10/15/25 5 p.m.
Dress rehearsal Ron Houston Center for the Performing Arts 10/20-10/22 5 p.m.
Skit chair meeting Ron Houston Center for the Performing Arts 10/20-10/22 After rehearsals
Variety Show Ron Houston Center for the Performing Arts 10/23/25 7 p.m.

Questions? Contact hocovariety@nwmissouri.edu or call 660.562.1496

Homecoming Royalty

The Homecoming Royalty Court is selected in the spring of each calendar year and recognized at the conclusion of the Variety Show, where a king and queen are crowned.

Students may begin voting at midnight Wednesday, Oct. 8, by following the link they received in their Northwest Email via Northwest Surveys; voting ends at 11:59 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 22. The king and queen will be announced Thursday, Oct. 23, at the conclusion of the Homecoming Variety Show, which begins at 7 p.m. in the Ron Houston Center for the Performing Arts.

Event Location Date Time
Royalty nominations begin BearcatLink 3/1/25 10 a.m.
Nominations due BearcatLink 3/4/25 8:00 p.m.
Applications due BearcatLink 3/17/25 8:00 p.m.
Royalty application selection Office of Student Involvement 3/18/25 8:00 p.m.
Royalty interview signup Google Drive 3/19/25 5 p.m.
Royalty interviews Student Union 3/20/25 5 p.m.
Announcement of court Social media 3/26/25 Noon
Royalty voting Voting on CatPAWS 10/8/25 - 10/22/25 11:59 p.m.
Royalty crowning Variety Show 10/23/25 End of the Show

Parade

Route and Information

The Homecoming parade starts at the corner of Ray and College Avenue, proceeding east on Fourth Street and ending at Main Street. The parade takes place in any weather, with the exception of lightning; patrons should not enter the parade route once the parade begins.

Route Map and patron information 

Off-Campus Entries

Organizations representing surrounding communities also are invited to participate in the parade by submitting a walk-in entry. Refer to the Homecoming bylaws for detailed rules and regulations.

Due by October 24, 2025, at 11:59 p.m.
After that date, entries will be accepted as space allows. See the fee schedule below.

8/18/25 - 10/24/25 | $35 non-profit, $65 for-profit

10/25/25 (Parade Day) | $100 for all groups; must present check at the parade route

Off-Campus Entry Form

 For more information or questions, please email hocoparade@nwmissouri.edu or call 660.562.1496.

On-Campus Competition Entries

Due Friday, October 8, 2025, at 5 p.m.
This includes entries for: Dancing Clowns, Float, Jalopy, and Paper Mache Heads.

As of 2024, entry fees will be collected. Refer to Homecoming Bylaws for more information and to review participation agreement.

On-campus Registration

 For more information or questions, please email hocoparade@nwmissouri.edu or call 660.562.1496.

On-Campus walk-in Entries

Due Friday, October 8, 2025, at 5 p.m.

 As of 2024, entry fees will be collected. Refer to Homecoming Bylaws for more information and to review participation agreement.

On-Campus Entry Form

 For more information or questions, please email hocoparade@nwmissouri.edu or call 660.562.1496.

Marching Band

Marching Band Information and Registration

 For more information or questions, please email hocoparade@nwmissouri.edu or call 660.562.1496.

General Information

Deadlines

Event Location Date Time
Committee Application & Co-Chair Applications Open BearcatLink Open Open
Royalty Nominations Form Opens BearcatLink 3/4/25 10 a.m.
Theme Nomination Form Open Email hocopr@nwmissouri.edu  3/4/25 10 a.m.
Org Reps Forms Open BearcatLink 3/4/25 10 a.m.
Royalty Nomination Closes BearcatLink 3/17/25 8 p.m.
Royalty Application Open   BearcatLink 3/17/25 12 p.m.
First Round of Committee Selected Executive Board 3/4/25 5 p.m.
Committee Application & Co-Chair Application Closes BearcatLink Open until positions fill Open until positions fill
Royalty Applications Close BearcatLink 3/16/25 11:59 p.m.
Org Reps Forms Due BearcatLink Open until positions fill Open until positions fill
Entry Forms Open BearcatLink 5/14/25 8 a.m.
Variety Show Entries Due BearcatLink 5/25/25 5 p.m.
Parade Script Dropbox Open BearcatLink 9/25/25 5 p.m.
All Entry Forms Close BearcatLink TBD 8 a.m.
Skit Final Script Due BearcatLink TBD 5 p.m.
Parade Script Submission Closes BearcatLink 10/1/25 5 p.m.
On-Campus Walk-in Entries Due BearcatLink 10/1/25 5 p.m.
Street Chalking Applications Open BearcatLink 4/11/25 8 a.m.
Street Chalking Applications Due BearcatLink 10/6/25 11:59 p.m.
Street Chalking Day Specified area on campus 10/19/25 Orgs sign up for time

Meetings

Event Location Date Time
General meeting CH 3500 Wednesdays 5 p.m.

Awards

Event Location Date Time
Awards presentation Lamkin 10/29/25 7 p.m.