Wartburg College Homecoming activities — with the theme “True Life, I’m a Knight”— will be Thursday through Sunday, Oct. 18-21.

The public is invited to attend student variety shows, the parade, Renaissance Faire, football game and concerts. Passes to the Wartburg-Waverly Sports & Wellness Center will be $5 (half-price for adults) on Friday and free Saturday.

A new campus-wide decorating competition among departments is being inaugurated.

“We feel that this is the year to really make sure everyone on campus is participating in Homecoming festivities,” said Josie Suchoumel, a member of the Homecoming Spirit Committee.

Homecoming queen candidates are Alexandra Ciota, Albert Lea, Minn.; Randene Davis, Glenville, Minn.; Hollis Hanson-Pollock, Mingo; Sara Hummel, Spirit Lake; Kelsey Scherven, Mound, Minn.; and Carley Wernimont, Pocahontas. King candidates are Alex Brannaman,  Mount Vernon; Joshua Hones, Pella; Curt Hruska, New Hampton; Joshua Trueblood, Bettendorf, and David Nelson, Rochester, Minn.

Among the Homecoming events open to the public are:

• Kastle Kapers, the student variety show, 8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 18, and 9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 19. The Homecoming court will be introduced Thursday during the show and royalty crowned following it. The coronation ceremony will be after the Friday night performance.
• The Homecoming parade on 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 20. It will head down 5th Street NW, go west on Bremer Avenue and then up 12^th Street NW.
• The Renaissance Faire featuring offerings from student groups, local nonprofits and various vendors. The annual favorite will be on the central campus mall from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.
• Wartburg playing the University of Dubuque, the defending Iowa Conference champion, in football at 1:30 p.m. in Walston-Hoover Stadium. Hall of Fame inductees will be recognized before the game and the Homecoming Court at halftime.
• The Wartburg Community Symphony under the direction of Dr. Daniel Kaplunas, featuring Russian-born pianist Daria Rabotkina, winner of the 2007 Concert Artists Guild International Competition as guest artist, at 8 p.m. Saturday.
• The Wartburg Choir’s Homecoming Concert 3:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 21. The 75^th Wartburg Choir Alumni Reunion Concert will follow.

Campus tours will be available from the Admissions Office on the second floor of Whitehouse Business Center, between 3 and 4 p.m. Friday and Saturday at 9 a.m. Self-guided tours of The W — with students available to answer questions — will be 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday.
The Wartburg Bookstore will have extended hours Friday and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

The classes being recognized are ’07, ’02, ’97, ’92, ’87, ’82, ’77, ’72, ’67 and Golden Knights— ’62 and earlier.

A full schedule of Homecoming activities can be found at https://www.wartburg.edu/homecoming.