Grab a Mask; Mardi Gras Themed Homecoming Week to Commence

Homecoming 2010 is guaranteed to work the George Mason University community into a frenzy with a whole week of inspiring events, which began yesterday with our women’s basketball game against Old Dominion University. The week’s events are to include the highly anticipated “Big Easy” Pageant hosted by Reann Ballslee, also known as Ryan Allen, Lip Syncing on the Bayou, Can-Can for Cans and many more. Considering Homecoming will fall during Mardi Gras, everyone is asked to “Unmasque Your Spirit” with a quintessential New Orleans theme.

“We started planning for Homecoming back in the beginning of the fall semester,” said Assistant Director of Programming in Student Activities Michelle Davis. “It can get tricky because we don’t know the time of the game until two weeks before, so we have to be careful of that as well.”

Can-Can for Cans, taking place on Tuesday in the Student Union Building II ballroom is the charity event Mason will be supporting during Homecoming this year. This competition invites students to craft structures out of non-perishable food donations, all the while being as imaginative as possible.

Each team will be critiqued not only on their creativity, but also on the amount of product they end up donating to charity. It emphasizes students collaborating together for a common goal.

“I definitely would take part in this event with a group of friends because we would have fun while knowing that we are helping give food to people,” said Shannon Foley, a senior English major.

Another big thing to look forward to will be the 12th annual Pregame Block Party, taking place two hours before the men’s basketball game on Saturday, Feb. 20. Located in Parking Lot A under a mass of heated tents, students, alumni and all other Patriot fans are welcome to mingle and make new friends during the tailgate. There will even be activities for the younger kids that come along, including interactive games, face-painting and other crafts that will be sure to make their spirits soar. Anyone wishing to fire up the atmosphere more by tailgating is also welcome.

“I will not be attending the block party,” said junior nursing major Liz Kallman. “I would rather skip this and go out after the game. I don’t really understand the whole tailgating thing before basketball games. I tailgate for football.”

A comedy show, concert and lip-syncing competition are included in the week’s line-up. The Canal Street Concert, which will be presenting SafetySuit, will go on later in the week. Two SafetySuit listening parties will take place in the week before they perform. Lip-Syncing on the Bayou hopes to pump students up on Feb. 17 at 8 pm in Dewberry Hall. This will be Mason’s first lip syncing competition, and students are encouraged to sign up to participate.

“Please come out to the events all week; we have a great list of events to see and participate in,” added Michelle Davis.

Mason’s Homecoming week 2010 will take place from Feb. 14 to Feb. 20. Everyone is invited to attend and to bring a friend, and take advantage of the free events. For more information about

Homecoming, check out their website at http://www.homecoming.gmu.edu.