RIPON COLLEGE INVITES ALUMNI, FAMILIES AND COMMUNITY TO 175TH ANNIVERSARY HOMECOMING AND FAMILY WEEKEND, OCT. 8-11
Ghost walk, fireworks, prairie walk, tailgate and alumni athletic contests highlight a weekend celebrating 175 years of Ripon College
Ripon, WI (10/02/2026) — RIPON, Wis. (Oct. 2, 2026) - Ripon College will welcome alumni, parents, families, friends and neighbors from across the Ripon community to campus for its annual Family Weekend and Homecoming, Thursday, Oct. 8, through Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026. The weekend brings together a mix of campus traditions, faculty-led experiences, game-day festivities and alumni athletic contests.
This year's celebration carries special meaning as Ripon College marks its 175th anniversary. Founded in 1851, the College has grown alongside the city of Ripon, and Homecoming is a chance to celebrate that shared history together. Community members and alumni alike are warmly invited to join the festivities, cheer on the Red Hawks and enjoy the weekend alongside students, alumni and families.
Highlights include a Friday evening ghost walk led by Professor of Art Travis Nygard, fireworks over Hopp Stadium, a Saturday morning walk through Ceresco Prairie with Associate Professor of Biology Ben Grady, and a Red Hawks Homecoming Tailgate packed with food trucks, inflatables, face painting and live music.
Friday night: legends, lore and fireworks
Friday evening, guests can take a walk on the spirited side of Ripon during Ghost Walk: Ripon After Dark, from 7 to 8 p.m., beginning at Pickard Commons. Professor of Art Travis Nygard will guide an evening stroll through campus filled with stories, history and legends and perhaps a ghost or two. Comfortable shoes and a sense of adventure are encouraged.
The night closes with a fireworks show at 8:30, launched from Ripon College's Larson Tennis Courts. Guests are invited to watch from the Merriman Field turf at Hopp Stadium.Gates open at 8:00 pm.
Saturday: prairie, tailgate and Red Hawks spirit
Saturday is a Red Out, and guests are encouraged to wear red and show their Ripon College pride. The day begins at 9 a.m. with Walk on the Prairie, a Ripon tradition, led by Associate Professor of Biology Ben Grady starting from the trailhead west of the Willmore Center. The guided walk explores the College's 130-acre Ceresco Prairie Conservancy, home to native prairie, oak savannah and wetland habitat.
From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., the Red Hawks Homecoming Tailgate Zone will feature food trucks, inflatables, face painting and a live band, along with campus group tables, giveaways and lawn games. Food options include food trucks, Ceresco's game-day classics and Belle's Ice Cream.
Athletic events all can enjoy include:
- 1:00 pm football game against Lake Forest College
- 5:00 pm men's soccer game against Luther College
- 7:30 pm women's soccer game against Luther College
The Caestecker Art Gallery is also open with a special extended-run exhibit. Experience Mixed Signals (New Paintings +), featuring new work by artist Derrick Buisch, professor of painting at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The exhibition brings together bold abstract paintings inspired by everything from roadside signs and graffiti to tattoos, imaginary monsters, and fantastic buildings. Admission is complimentary.
More information
To view the whole schedule visit: ripon.edu/family-weekend-and-homecoming.
Media Attachments
Fireworks over Hopp Stadium at Ripon College
Students enjoying a previous Homecoming tailgate
Ripon College
Liz Taft, tafte@ripon.eduShare this Story
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