Big Sandy Homecoming set for weekend

The town of Big Sandy will be swelling with Pioneer pride this weekend, along with several hundred graduates, former residents, their families and friends, to celebrate the town’s 2015 Homecoming.

Rather than hold homecoming each year at the school and small, individual class reunions, residents decided back in 1975 to hold each year a citywide summer homecoming event every five years, said Jolene Williams, one of the organizers of this year’s homecoming.

Along with the regular events like the banquet Saturday, two nights of street dances, a parade, classic car and antique tractor shows, and the 3-on-3 basketball tournament — this year a memorial to Mike Richter — Williams said the 2015 homecoming will see a few new activities.

A bike race and a fun run will start at the high school at 8 a.m. Saturday. Williams said the bike race is new this year, and the traditional fun run has a new twist as a color run. Based on color runs from festivals around the world, runners dressed in white will start out pelted with Pioneer purple and gold colored powders and finish the race in a colorful fanfare as well.

Williams said Wednesday that they already have many people signed up for the color run who aren’t even part of homecoming. They just want to take part in the event.

Also new this year are the paintball tournament at 3 p.m. at the Big Sandy Saddle Club Arena and the video game tournament at Jerry Martin Memorial Hall at 9 p.m., both on Saturday, to give the younger crowd more to do.

To help pay for the event, organizers hold fundraisers, Williams said. At this year’s event they will be auctioning a quilt designed and made to celebrate the homecoming and a handcrafted knife.

Everyone is invited to the Big Sandy Homecoming.

The schedule of events is listed below or go online to bigsandyhomecoming.facebook.com or http://www.bigsandyhomecoming.org. The website also includes registration forms, as well as contact information for individual activities on the “Activities” page, or email info@bigsandyhomecoming.com.

Schedule:

Friday

• 1-5 p.m. — Registration, high school gym annex

• 5-8 p.m. — Rotary Club-sponsored Root Beer Social, Main Street

• 7:30 p.m. — North Star Dancers, Main Street

• 8 p.m. — High School Royalty Crowning, Main Street

• 8 p.m. — Midnight Street Dance, Main Street, DJ

Saturday

• 8-11 a.m. — Registration, high school

• 8 a.m. — Fun Run/Bike Race, Pioneer Wagon High School

• TBD — 3-on-3 Basketball, Main Street

• 10 a.m. — Antique Tractor Display & Dyno, Ron Otto shop on Hwy 236; Vendors & memorabilia available all day, Main Street

• Noon — Parade line up, Pet & Doll at tennis courts; Floats, cars, etc. at old football field

• 1 p.m. — Homecoming and Pet & Doll Parade

• Immediately after parade: North Star Dancers, Main Street; Quilt/Knife auction, Main Street Stage; Classic Car Show, Upper Main Street

• 3 p.m. — Paintball Tournament, Big Sandy Saddle Club Arena

• 4-6:30 p.m. — Banquet at Fire Hall

• 7:30 p.m. — Homecoming program, high school gym

• 9 p.m. — Video Game Tourney, Jerry Martin Memorial Hall

• 9 p.m.-1 a.m. — Street Dance, Main Street, Milk River Band

Sunday

• 10 a.m.-1 p.m. — Brunch at Fire Hall

• Class reunions throughout afternoon