History of Homecoming
Based on archives records, Homecoming at UNCG is thought to have begun as a tradition called “Falderal,” which dates back to the 1960s. Falderal was much like Homecoming today; performers, sports games, and food were plentiful. The early 1980s marked the shift towards Homecoming celebrations like those we enjoy now.
Falderal
Falderal was originally a celebration of Founders Day each October, and was also sometimes known as the “Fall Charlies.” Highlights of the 1979 Falderal festivities (pictured left) included fireworks, music from the Fat Jack Band and the Doobie Brothers, and several movies for public viewing. In that year, the students who were part of the special events committee baked a 500-pound cake to share. We retain a piece of these hallmarks today: alumni and student performers join us each year, and our Founders Day tent, found at Spartan Street Fest, features cupcakes for attendees to enjoy.
From Falderal to Homecoming
The transition from Falderal to what we now know as Homecoming seems to have taken place around 1982. The 1982 Homecoming celebration included many of the same elements as Falderal, but the events were on a larger scale with some added elements – concerts (including Rick James!), movies, lectures, presentations, a parade, a soccer game versus Erskine College, fireworks, an art show, and a Founder’s Day dinner. In 1982, the first homecoming royalty was crowned – Elizabeth Ford ’83. The next year, the first African-American queen was crowned – Cynthia Moore.
In 1982, the first homecoming royalty was crowned – Elizabeth Ford ’83. The next year, the first African-American queen was crowned – Cynthia Moore.
Homecoming Today
Since 1982, Homecoming has taken place in October each year. In 2024, UNCG hosted its first Spartan Street Fest, mirroring previous years’ Kaplan Commons Block Party. Homecoming features food trucks and tent vendors, student and alumni performers, Children’s Fest, Academic Row, Weatherspoon Art Museum exhibit features, and sporting events. Two students are crowned Homecoming Royalty during the weekend.
To learn more about this year’s Homecoming festivities, visit homecoming.uncg.edu.
This page was created with support from Special Collections and University Archives, and includes information collected in research by alumna and now-UNCG librarian Rachel Sanders Olsen ’14.