Homecoming week at the University of Alabama is special, and Crimson Tide fans better check it off of their bucket list if you haven’t.
Everyone harps on “tradition” around here, and this week has plenty of it.
Those who attended UA (or anyone) return to see a transformed campus that probably resembles Tomorrowland more than where they got their college education.
UA’s 2025 homecoming theme is “Lights, Crimson, Action,” so see who blends that in best in all the creative ways students celebrate the week.
We all have that aforementioned college football bucket list, or something like it. You can check off a ton of items all weekend, or just relive the moments you get to annually, all over again, from the bonfire to the parade.
It’s exactly what you need this time of year: Good-natured fun before two teams try to kill each other on a football field.
Below are all the sights and sounds you can expect in Tuscaloosa Friday and Saturday as you…come home? Prepare accordingly.
(Note from UA for Friday night: Parking is available in the West Commuter portion of campus along with the Student Center Deck/Lot and the Transportation Hub Deck for the evening of the pep rally. Anyone parked in these lots must vacate them after the conclusion of events on the Quad to avoid being towed in preparation for game day. )
Paint the Town Red designs on the Strip in Tuscaloosa. Alabama football fans gather for “SEC Nation,” the homecoming parade and other pregame festivities before the Missouri game in Tuscaloosa Oct. 26, 2024. (Ben Flanagan / AL.com)Ben FlanaganPaint the Town Red
Underrated tradition wherein student organizations literally paint the storefronts of Tuscaloosa businesses on the Strip and downtown Tuscaloosa, plus some other spots on campus.
Typically, you’ll see cartoonish caricatures of Big Al, Bear Bryant, Nick Saban, and now Kalen DeBoer and other current Crimson Tide stars, likely Ty Simpson and Ryan Williams.
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Alabama Homecoming Sorority Lawn Decorations 2024
Sorority Lawn Decorations
UA sororities always deliver the goods, getting even more spectacular each year, with intensely pomped designs of famous Alabama coaches, players, moments and more.
Ahead of the annual pep rally, bonfire and homecoming queen announcement, fans and alumni will stroll along the sidewalks outside the UA Panhellenic sorority houses Friday afternoon to catch a glimpse at the work, a day before the Tide kick off against Oklahoma in Bryant-Denny Stadium.
Designs will recreate famous album covers, newspaper front pages, legendary football moments and other events you didn’t know could come alive with balled-up tissue paper. A truly creative effort that’s worth your time.
The Million Dollar Band’s Elephant Stomp creates an awesome atmosphere on the Quad. (Ben Flanagan / AL.com)Pep Rally
On the steps of Gorgas Library Friday night at 6:30 p.m., the Million Dollar Band and UA cheerleaders will perform several classic numbers fans know by heart, as Kalen DeBoer and several Alabama football players will hit the stage to say thanks and drop a heartfelt “Roll Tide.”
We still love a pep rally. Nothing feels like “college” more than this. Marching bands, mascots, school spirit, the collective “Let’s win the big one!” energy. It’s pure nostalgia, so don’t let this tradition go extinct anytime soon. Perfect for the kids.
Alabama homecoming queen Hannah Adams during the parade. Alabama football fans gather for “SEC Nation,” the homecoming parade and other pregame festivities before the Missouri game in Tuscaloosa Oct. 26, 2024. (Ben Flanagan / AL.com)Ben FlanaganHomecoming Queen
They will announce the winner of the 2025 homecoming queen election during the pep rally. You can see all the candidates there and during the parade and halftime of the game on Saturday.
Below are the 2025 candidates:
Sydney Blackhurst (Junior from Gilbert, Arizona; majoring in Accounting)Morgan Grzybowski (Senior from Wildwood, Missouri; majoring in Biology)Carrington Mills (Senior from Pelham, Alabama; majoring in Chemical Engineering)Rachel Rybicki (Senior from Grosse Pointe Park, Michigan; double-majoring in Finance and Economics with a minor in Spanish)Crawford West (Senior from Birmingham, Alabama; majoring in Public Health with a minor in Sales)
The University of Alabama homecoming bonfire is a tradition dating back decades. (Ben Flanagan / AL.com)Bonfire
Fire!
Why do we light and surround a huge fire on the Quad each year? What even are bonfires?
In short, they’re celebrations or symbolic events merely meant to create warmth or good vibes for an occasion just like this. They bring people together. And it just looks cool.
So after the pep rally, look over to that giant pile of wood, and your distance. Let the local firefighters do their job, and simply bask in that carefully designed warmth. Turn to see a fire-lit Denny Chimes when you can — cool image.
(Remember in the ‘90s, when they concluded the pep rally with the bonfire and fireworks? They had a drone show last year, which is awesome, but how do we bring back the fireworks, UA?)
A Step Show sponsored by the National Panhellenic Council: will take place at 8 p.m. inside Coleman Coliseum. Doors open at 7 p.m. Tickets are required. The event is also open to alumni and community members. Parking at Coleman Coliseum will be limited, so attendees are encouraged to park in the Capstone Parking Deck instead.
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Alabama Homecoming Fans Parade 2024
Parade
Don’t you love a parade?
The 2025 edition will will start at 10 a.m., with NASA astronaut and UA alum Bob Hines as the grand marshal.
The route will start at Hudson Poole Fine Jewelers on Greensboro Avenue in downtown Tuscaloosa, turning east onto University Boulevard and continuing through campus.
You will see and hear: The Million Dollar Band, UA cheerleaders, Crimsonettes, probably a guy on stilts, the rambunctious law students and the sororities wearing wacky Halloween costumes. And more. Always more with a parade. Again, this one’s for the kids. Don’t miss it.
Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer walks onto the field during warmups before the home opener against Louisiana Monroe at Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Ala., Saturday, Sep. 6, 2025. (Will McLelland | AL.com)Will McLellandGame
Alabama welcomes Oklahoma, and all that goodwill goes out the window. Time for revenge. The Sooners embarrassed the Tide in Norman in 2024, costing them a trip to the College Football Playoff in Kalen DeBoer’s first season.
While the favorite, Bama can’t expect anything other than a dogfight inside Bryant-Denny. Kickoff is 2:30 p.m. Be there, be loud, be proud. It’s homecoming, after all.
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