Homecoming
& Family Weekend
Save the Date: Oct. 8-11, 2026
Homecoming at Wartburg College is the perfect chance to reconnect, have fun, and celebrate what it means to be a Knight. Whether you’re catching up with old friends, watching the parade, cheering at the football game, or just hanging out on campus, you’ll feel reconnected to the Wartburg community.
Questions? Contact the Alumni & Parent Engagement Office at 319-352-8491 or alumni@wartburg.edu.
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Get your swag on
Grab a heathered orange comfort tee ($18) or a vintage black raglan hoodie ($38) to show off your Wartburg pride. And snag a Wartburg stein ($20), perfect for Oktoberfest (or your morning coffee, we won’t judge).
Secure yours by registering — a limited number will be available for purchase during the weekend!
Homecoming & Family Weekend Highlights
Kastle Kapers
8:30 PM FRIday, Oct. 10
We’ve got improv, we’ve got jazz, we’ve got all sorts of entertainment! Come support our students as they share their talents during this variety show — you never know what you’ll see next.
Homecoming Parade
10 AM Saturday, Oct. 11
Grab your seat along the parade route: Fifth Street Northwest to First Avenue Northwest to 12th Street Northwest. Be sure to give a hearty welcome to our grand marshal, the new lord mayor of Eisenach, Christoph Ihling.
Renaissance Faire
10:30 AM Saturday, Oct. 11
A great place to run into old friends while you browse booths by student and community organizations.
Grab a four-pack of Wartburg Knights Orange Wheat American Ale or the new Wartburg Knights Black Armor Golden Ale while supplies last!
Football vs. Dubuque
1:30 PM Saturday, Oct. 11
Cheer on the Knights as they take on the University of Dubuque Spartans!
The 2025 inductees for our Athletic Hall of Fame will be recognized prior to the game at 1:10 p.m.
Oktoberfest
4 PM Saturday, Oct. 11
It’s beer, brats, burgers, and good German fun at this classic Wartburg tradition. Can you outlast the competition in the stein holding event?
Both Wartburg beers will be on tap too! Try a glass before the event ends at or the kegs run dry.
| Start Time | End Time | Event | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Start Time: 5 AM | End Time: 10 PM | The W Open $15 Family Pass available at The W Information Desk. Children younger than 12 must be supervised by an adult. | Location: The W |
| Start Time: 8:30 AM | End Time: 5 PM | The Wartburg Store Open | Location: Saemann Student Center |
| Start Time: 3:50 PM | End Time: 4:40 PM | Kammerstreicher Open Rehearsal Dr. Rebecca Nederhiser, director | Sandra Rada Recital & Orchestra Hall, Bachman Fine Arts Center |
| Start Time: 7 PM | End Time: 9 PM | Wartburg Community Symphony Open Rehearsal Dr. Rebecca Nederhiser, director | Carl & Peggy Bluedorn Instrumental Music Hall, Bachman Fine Arts Center |
| Start Time: 7:30 PM | End Time: 10 PM | Knight’s Nite | Location: Saemann Student Center |
| Start Time: 8 PM | End Time: 9 PM | Alumni Wing Feed Get wings for 50 cents a piece! | Location: Joe’s Knight Hawk, 1002 W. Bremer Ave. |
| Start Time | End Time | Event | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Start Time: 5 AM | End Time: 8:30 PM | End Time:The W Open $15 Family Pass available at The W Information Desk. Children younger than 12 must be supervised by an adult. | Location: The W |
| Start Time: 8 AM | End Time: 6 PM | End Time:The Wartburg Store Open | Location: Saemann Student Center |
| Start Time: 9 AM | End Time: 3 PM | Business Department Career Alumni Panels 9 AM, Management/Marketing Samantha Hilier Anna Javellana Alan Simmer Tyler Willis 10:45 AM, Accounting/Finance Zach Drape Diana Nin Noon, Law/Grad School Pete Newell Abigayle Robison-Grimm Karen Thalacker | Location: Whitehouse Business Center |
| Start Time: 10 AM | *Best-Shot Golf Tournament Please register by Oct. 3. | Location: Waverly Municipal Golf Course | |
| Start Time: 10:15 AM | End Time: 10:35 AM | Chapel Speaker: Kris Erickson Roberts ’00 | Location: Wartburg Chapel |
| Start Time: Noon | End Time: 1 PM | *Bach’s Lunch Organ Lecture and Recital Lecture in Chapel Commons followed by a recital at 12:15 p.m. in the chapel. Bring your own lunch or get a box lunch for $11 by registering before Oct. 3. | Location: Chapel Commons & Wartburg Chapel |
| Start Time: 2:30 PM | End Time: 3:30 PM | SW 201: Social Work Alumni Panel | Location: Old Main 200 |
| Start Time: 3:45 PM | End Time: 4:45 PM | Castle Singers Open Rehearsal Dr. Nicki Toliver, director | Location: Wartburg Chapel |
| Start Time: 3:50 PM | End Time: 4:40 PM | Symphonic Band Open Rehearsal Dr. Lia Snead, director | Location: Carl and Peggy Bluedorn Instrumental Music Hall, Bachman Fine Arts Center |
| Start Time: 4 PM | End Time: 9 PM | Homecoming & Family Weekend Registration | Location: Saemann Student Center Lobby |
| Start Time: 4 PM | End Time: 5 PM | Campus Tours | Location: Saemann Student Center Lobby |
| Start Time: 4 PM | End Time: 5 PM | Wartburg Choir Alumni Open House | Chapel Commons |
| Start Time: 4:50 PM | End Time: 6 PM | Wind Ensemble Open Rehearsal Dr. Lia Snead, director | Location: Carl and Peggy Bluedorn Instrumental Music Hall, Bachman Fine Arts Center |
| Start Time: 5 PM | End Time: 6 PM | Wartburg Choir Open Rehearsal Dr. Lee Nelson, director | Location: Wartburg Chapel |
| Start Time: 5:30 PM | End Time: 8 PM | President’s Round Table Dinner (invitation only) | Location: Knights Ballroom, Saemann Student Center |
| Start Time: 6 PM | Vollmer & Ketha Houses Reunion | Location: Joe’s Knight Hawk, 1002 W. Bremer Ave. | |
| Start Time: 8:30 PM | End Time: 10:30 PM | *Kastle Kapers | Location: Neumann Auditorium |
Saturday, Oct. 11
*Please register in advance for these events.
| Start Time | End Time | Event | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Start Time: 7 AM | End Time: 5:30 PM | End Time:The W Open $15 Family Pass available at The W Information Desk. Children younger than 12 must be supervised by an adult. | Location: The W |
| Start Time: 8 AM | End Time: | End Time:*Knight Run/Walk | Location: The W |
| Start Time: 8:30 AM | End Time: | End Time:*Children’s Track Meet Wartburg Track & Field invites you to bring your kids ages 3-12 to participate. Register by Oct. 2 to guarantee a shirt. | End Time:Hoover Fieldhouse & Track, The W |
| Start Time: 8:30 AM | End Time: 1 PM | End Time:Homecoming & Family Weekend Registration Last chance to pick up event tickets! | Location: Saemann Student Center Lobby |
| Start Time: 8:30 AM | End Time: 10 AM | End Time:Tower Society Open House (invitation only) | Location: McCoy Rooms, Saemann Student Center |
| Start Time: 8:30 AM | End Time: 9:30 AM | End Time:Department of Math, Computer Science & Physics Breakfast | Location: Science Center, Third Floor |
| Start Time: 8:30 AM | End Time: 9:30 AM | End Time:Campus Tour | Location: Admissions Office, Whitehouse Business Center |
| Start Time: 9 AM | End Time: 5 PM | The Wartburg Store Open | Location: Saemann Student Center |
| Start Time: 9 AM | End Time: 2 PM | Wartburg College Historic District Display | Location: Vogel Library, First Floor |
| Start Time: 10 AM | Homecoming Parade Presented by First Bank | Location: Streets around campus | |
| Start Time: 10 AM | End Time: 12:30 PM | Department of Journalism & Communication Open House and Tailgate | Location: McElroy Center 134 |
| Start Time: 10:30 AM | End Time: 2 PM | Renaissance Faire Presented by Denver Insurance and Waverly Health Center Support student groups, vendors, and local nonprofits. | Location: Campus Mall |
| Start Time: 10:30 AM | End Time: 11:30 AM | Wartburg College Concert Bands Alumni Meet & Greet | Location: Carl and Peggy Bluedorn Instrumental Music Hall, Bachman Fine Arts Center |
| Start Time: 10:30 AM | End Time: 11:30 AM | Department of Religion Open House | Location: Wartburg Chapel |
| Start Time: 10:30 AM | End Time: Noon | Esports Arena Open House | Rada-Aleff Classroom Technology Center, Second Floor |
| Start Time: 11 AM | End Time: 1 PM | Vogel Library Former Student Employee Reception | Location: Vogel Library, Second Floor |
| Start Time: 11 AM | End Time: 1 PM | Softball Tailgate and Bra-B-Que Donations of undergarments and feminine hygiene products will be accepted for I Support the Girls. | Location: Lynes Field |
| Start Time: 11:30 AM | *Golden Knights Luncheon celebrating those who graduated 50 or more years ago, featuring the classes of ’60, ’65, ’70 & ’75 | Location: Castle Room, Saemann Student Center | |
| Start Time: 11:30 AM | *Class Reunion Lunches celebrating the classes of ’80, ’85, ’90, ’95, ’00, ’05, ’10, ’15 & ’20 | Knights & St. Elizabeth Rooms, Saemann Student Center | |
| Start Time: 11:30 AM | *Class of 2020 Senior Pig Roast 2.0 We know your time here didn’t end lke you were hoping, so this is a special event just for you! | Location: Sand Volleyball Courts | |
| Start Time: 1:30 PM | Football vs. Dubuque Athletic Hall of Fame inductees will be recognized at 1:10 PM. | Location: Zimmerman Field, Walston-Hoover Stadium | |
| Start Time: 4 PM | End Time: 6:30 PM | *Oktoberfest presented by Schumacher Elevator Co. | Location: Campus Mall |
| Start Time: 6:30 PM | End Time: 8 PM | Rainbow Alumni Social | Location: TBD |
| Start Time: 6:30 PM | *Athletic Hall of Fame Dinner Inductees: Kenny Anderson ’14, Mindy Viering Best ’04, Ramey Sieck Creery ’14, Colt Feltes ’15, Bob Nielson ’82, Mark Olenius ’91, Alana Enabnit Scarano ’15, Matt Tschetter ’12, Landon Williams ’14 | Location: Knights Ballroom, Saemann Student Center | |
| Start Time: 6:30 PM | End Time: 8 PM | *Golden Knights Reception celebrating the classes of 50 years and earlier, featuring the classes of ’60, ’65, ’70 & ’75 | Location: McCoy Rooms, Saemann Student Center |
| Start Time: 7 PM | Kammerstreicher & Castle Singers Concert Dr. Rebecca Nederhiser & Dr. Nicki Toliver, directors | Location: Wartburg Chapel | |
| Start Time: 8:30 PM | Wartburg Music Alumni Social | Location: Bremer Brewing Co., 102 W. Bremer Ave. |
Sunday, Oct. 12
*Please register in advance for these events.
| Start Time | End Time | Event | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Start Time: 8 AM | End Time: 9:30 AM | End Time:Koffee at the Klubhaus Come enjoy some coffee and pastries at Bartels’ 55+ active living community. | Location: Eisenach Village Klubhaus, 1100 Bach Drive |
| Start Time: 9:40 AM | End Time: | End Time:Preludial Music | Location: Neumann Auditorium |
| Start Time: 10 AM | Homecoming Festival Worship The Symphonic Band, Wartburg Choir, Castle Singers, Ritterchor, St. Elizabeth Chorale, Kantorei, a faculty brass group, and organist Karen Black will perform. Chaplain Maggie Falenschek, dean of spiritual life, will preach. Wartburg Choir alumni are invited to join in the singing of the benediction. | Location: Neumann Auditorium | |
| Start Time: 11 AM | End Time: 2 PM | The Wartburg Store Open | Location: Saemann Student Center |
| Start Time: 11 AM | End Time: 9 PM | The W Open Please check in at The W’s Information Desk. Children younger than 12 must be supervised by an adult. | Location: The W |
| Start Time: 11:15 AM | End Time: 1 PM | Sunday Brunch | Location: Mensa, Saemann Student Center |
| Start Time: 11:45 AM | *Homecoming Luncheon 2025’s Alumni Citation recipients will be honored: Erika Breddin ’94, Erich Heneke ’02, Stacene Maroushek ’86. | Location: Knights Ballroom, Saemann Student Center | |
| Start Time: 2:30 PM | End Time: 3:15 PM | Wind Ensemble Concert Dr. Lia Snead, director | Location: Neumann Auditorium |
| Start Time: 3:30 PM | End Time: 4:15 PM | Wartburg Choir Concert Dr. Lee Nelson, director | Location: Wartburg Chapel |
Thank you to our presenting sponsors!
