The Maricopa High School Homecoming Committee has elected to conduct a Homecoming festival featuring celebrations of the past, an alumni football game and a bonfire over a parade.
The committee is calling the festival “Ram Fest 2015.” The festival was chosen instead of a parade due to available space. Since the school can’t shut down a major highway such as State Route 347 for a parade, the festival allows the school to celebrate its past and present in one central location.
The committee hopes to rent out the open space at Copper Sky Regional Park for the event. “There will be a walking parade at some point during the festival with the football team, band, homecoming court and cheerleaders,” MHS Resource Officer Chris Evans said in the meeting. “Anybody else who wants to join can join in. The whole thing will go from the south end of the parking lot from the dog park to the baseball field.”
Ram Fest 2015 will kick off with the Homecoming festival in the regional park by the lake. The crowd is then expected to migrate over to the football fields, where the alumni game will start at 7 p.m. Once the game ends, the football team is expected to lead the walking parade over to the bonfire area for the lighting ceremony. The Homecoming Committee hopes to bring a bit more organization and tradition to the event in comparison to last year.
“We can get everyone hyped up and then have the cheerleaders and the band start a snake walk and follow the (football) team,” Maricopa Rotary Club Vice President Alma Farrell said. “I think that’ll get everyone riled up to go to the bonfire.”
The committee is also looking to bring vendors into the festival and bring as many MHS alumni into the celebration as possible. Their hope is to tie the school’s storied past into its promising present and celebrate the last 60 years of Rams success. The festival is expected to take place Wednesday, Oct. 21, around 5 p.m. The committee will host an event launch during Maricopa’s next home football game against Tempe High School on Friday, Sept. 25.