Wartburg College will “Protect This Castle” during Homecoming, Oct. 10-13.

The Homecoming theme recalls the college’s namesake castle in Eisenach, Germany, where Martin Luther took refugee during the Reformation, disguised as a knight, while translating the Bible into common German.

“Whether near of far, every student and alum can resonate with this year’s theme. The committee found a common thread that ties everyone together. In some way, everyone has a reason to ‘Protect This Castle,’” said Emily Rasmussen, Homecoming committee co-director. 

Among the many weekend events, the Knights football team will “protect” Walston-Hoover Stadium against Buena Vista University, Saturday, Oct. 12, at 1:30 p.m.

The Homecoming parade precedes the game at 10 a.m. along Fifth Street NW and Bremer Avenue with Jim Miller, the recently retired legendary wrestling coach, as grand marshal. The Renaissance Faire on the central campus mall begins at 10:30 a.m. Oktoberfest festivities are 4-6:30 p.m. on the mall.

The student-led Kastle Kapers variety show gets the weekend into full swing Thursday at 8 p.m. in Neumann Auditorium with the coronation of the Homecoming king and queen immediately afterward. A pep rally follows in Levick Arena at 9:30 p.m.

Kastle Kapers returns Friday at 9 p.m., preceded by the presentation of the Homecoming court at 8:45 p.m.

Personalized Wartburg College license plates will be on display at a “car show” Saturday in the F lot south of campus. Wartburg leads all Iowa private colleges in the number of personalized plates.

Parents can enter their children, grades K-6, in the annual Wartburg Track and Field Youth Meet, Saturday, 8-9:30 a.m., in the Hoover Fieldhouse in the Wartburg-Waverly Sports & Wellness Center.

The Wartburg-Waverly Sports & Wellness Center will offer free admission to the public, Saturday, 7 a.m.-6:30 p.m., and $5 admission, Friday, 5:30 a.m.-8:30 p.m., and Sunday, 1-10 p.m.

The public is invited to those events and others on campus, including:

• “From the Heart, Gifts of the Spirit,” art exhibit by Karen Kurka Jensen, all weekend, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Waldemar A. Schmidt Gallery, Bachman Fine Arts Center.
• “Bach’s Lunch” organ recital and lecture, Friday noon, Wartburg Chapel Commons.
• Early morning Knight Run/Walk, Saturday, 8 a.m., Walston-Hoover Stadium north end.
• Dan Huston Invitation Cross Country Meet, Saturday, 10:30 a.m., Max Cross Country Course.
• Wartburg Community Symphony concert, “Sizzling Strings,” Hye-Jin Kim guest violinist, Saturday, 8 p.m., Neumann Auditorium.
• Wartburg Choir Concert, Sunday, 2:30 p.m., Wartburg Chapel.
• Men’s soccer vs. Bethel College, Sunday, 3 p.m., soccer field.
• Wartburg Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Band Concert, Sunday, 3:30 p.m., Neumann Auditorium.

The schedule of all events is at www.wartburg.edu/homecoming.