Join us in Golden Lion Country for Homecoming 2026!
Our annual week-long Homecoming celebration at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB) brings together alumni, students, faculty, and fans from across the country. UAPB’s Homecoming continues a rich HBCU tradition with lively activities, including a parade, concerts, Greek step shows, reunions, open houses, a golf tournament, outdoor festivals, and an exciting football game.
From Sunday, October 11 through Saturday, October 17
2026 Schedule of Events
This year’s theme is:
“A Different ROAR!”
A Different Roar celebrates the spirit of the HBCU experience through a distinctly UAPB lens, where generations come together to honor our legacy, embrace our culture, and create new Golden Lion memories. Check back for details on the latest “official ” UAPB HOCO 2026 events and activities!
There are events to experience each day! Please note: We have a clear bag policy in place for all Homecoming events.
Click the “+” to the right of each date to see what’s happening.
Black and Gold Sunday – UAPB Day · 10:30 a.m. at Full Counsel Ministries, Pine Bluff | 517 Cherry Street | Pine Bluff, AR | Sponsored by the UAPB Chapter – Word of Faith Student Fellowship Organization. Join in on the 25th year of celebrating the UAPB Homecoming Sunday Kickoff!
Sunday’s Best: The Homecoming Gospel Extravaganza· 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. in the STEM Conference Center on the UAPB campus. Before the week gets started, we are taking it to church. Join the Golden Lion family for an evening of powerful praise, worship, and fellowship featuring UAPB student vocalists, local choirs, and special guest artists. Come in your Sunday’s best and begin Homecoming Week surrounded by faith, family, and the spirit of The Yard. For additional information, contact Courtney Jackson, director of the L.A. Davis Student Union, at 870-575-8925 or jacksonc@uapb.edu.
Welcome to A Different ROAR: The Late-Night Kickoff · 10:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. | W.E. O’Bryant Bell Tower. Class is officially in session. Meet us at the Bell Tower as we launch a Homecoming week unlike any other with music, friends, and plenty of Golden Lion energy. This is your official welcome back to the world that only UAPB can create.
Door Decorating Competition · Show your Homecoming Spirit all week and win! Decorate your Dorm or Office Door.
Leaders of the Yard: Student Government Association (SGA) Inauguration Dinner · 5:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. (Doors open at 5:00 p.m.) | STEM Conference Center on the UAPB campus. Every great campus needs leaders ready to serve. Join us as UAPB’s newly elected SGA officers take their oaths of office and accept the responsibility of representing the student body. This formal ceremony celebrates leadership, service, tradition, and the next generation shaping life on The Yard.
Welcome to the Yard: The Official Homecoming Kick-Off · 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. | W.E. O’Bryant Bell Tower. Meet us where campus comes alive. Students, faculty, staff, and alumni are invited to officially kick off Homecoming with music, giveaways, entertainment, and unmistakable Golden Lion pride. Consider this the opening scene of a week you will not forget.
UAPB Track & Field Groundbreaking Ceremony· 2:00 p.m. | Between the J.B.J. Housing Complex and the 1890 Extension Building on the UAPB campus. The UAPB Department of Athletics cordially invites members of the media, alumni, supporters, and the community to join us for a historic milestone as we break ground on our first-ever on-campus Track and Field Facility! This exciting occasion marks a new era for Golden Lion Athletics and a significant investment in the future of our student-athletes. One Team. One Roar!
The Yard’s Carnival Night, sponsored by Aramark Food Services · 4:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. (Doors open at 7:00 p.m.) – | L.A. Davis Dining Hall (Side) on the UAPB campus. When the sun goes down, the campus comes alive. Step into a night filled with carnival games, food, music, prizes, interactive activities, and plenty of opportunities to connect with friends. Bring your school spirit and experience a little late-night campus magic, Golden Lion style.
Pretty Wednesday: A Different Roar Edition · 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the W.E. O’Bryant Bell Tower. The Hill is your runway. Pull out your best Homecoming look and join one of UAPB’s favorite midweek traditions featuring music, vendors, photos, fellowship, and Golden Lion style. Whether your look is classic, vintage, collegiate, or completely your own, Wednesday is the day to show up and show out.
The Golden Gala: The Crowns Await – Coronation · 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. (Doors open at 6:00 p.m.) | H.O. Clemmons Arena of the Kenneth L. Johnson Health, Physical Education and Recreation (HPER) Complex on the UAPB campus. Tonight, tradition takes center stage. Witness the crowning of Mister and Miss UAPB during an elegant evening of pageantry, music, legacy, and university pride as the Royal Court takes its place in the continuing story of The Hill. Clear Bag Policy
After the Crowning: Coronation Ball · 9:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. | H.O. Clemmons Arena of the Kenneth L. Johnson Health, Physical Education and Recreation (HPER) Complex on the UAPB campus. The crowns have been placed, and now it is time to celebrate. Join Mister and Miss UAPB and the Royal Court for an elegant evening of music, dancing, fellowship, and Homecoming memories. Clear Bag Policy
Homecoming Alumni Golf Tournament (Registration is Closed)
UAPB/AM&N Letter “A” Club Class of 2026 Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony· 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. | Hathaway-Howard Fine Arts Center Auditorium on the UAPB campus.
Men’s Cross Country· Watson Collegiate XC Classic | Clinton, MS
The Yard Beats & Eats: DJ Sets · 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. | Kenneth L. Johnson Health, Physical Education and Recreation (HPER) Complex (Side) on the UAPB campus. Slow it down and settle into the sounds of Homecoming. Enjoy an evening of Southern Soul and live music as regional artists bring smooth sounds, familiar favorites, and grown-folks energy to The Yard.
The Yard Beats & Eats: Food Trucks & Novelties · 4:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. | Front Parking Lot of the Kenneth L. Johnson Health, Physical Education and Recreation (HPER) Complex on the UAPB campus. Come hungry and stay awhile. Explore food trucks serving local favorites, sweet treats, and late-night bites while shopping from novelty vendors and enjoying the Homecoming atmosphere around the HPER Complex.
Ignite the Roar: Homecoming Bonfire · 8:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. | Parking lot of the Kenneth L. Johnson Health, Physical Education and Recreation (HPER) Complex on the UAPB campus. The flames are rising and so is the Golden Lion spirit. Gather with students, alumni, and friends for one of Homecoming’s signature traditions featuring music, chants, fellowship, and the energy that brings generations of Golden Lions together before game day.
Alumni Assembly· 9:00 a.m. | H.O. Clemmons Arena of the Kenneth L. Johnson Health, Physical Education and Recreation (HPER) Complex on the UAPB campus.
Men’s Cross Country· Watson Collegiate XC Classic | Clinton, MS
Baseball Fall Exhibition· 11:00 a.m. Torii Hunter Baseball Complex on the UAPB campus.
The Yard Fest· 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. | W.E. O’Bryant Bell Tower. This is HBCU life in full color. Meet us on The Yard for DJs, student performers, vendors, organizations, giveaways, Greeks, alumni, and all the energy that makes Homecoming at UAPB feel like a world of its own.
The Battle of The Greeks: Homecoming Greek Step Show · 6:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. (Doors open at 5:00 p.m.) | H.O. Clemmons Arena of the Kenneth L. Johnson Health, Physical Education and Recreation (HPER) Complex on the UAPB campus. The Divine Nine & The Musical Greeks take center stage for one of the most anticipated nights of Homecoming. Experience history, precision, creativity, brotherhood, sisterhood, stepping, strolling, and showmanship as UAPB’s fraternities and sororities bring their organizations’ traditions to life. Clear Bag Policy
Homecoming Game · 2:00 p.m. | Simmons Bank Field on the UAPB campus | UAPB VS Alabama State Clear Bag Policy
Homecoming Battle Royale (High School Battle of the Bands) · 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. | H.O. Clemmons Arena of the Kenneth L. Johnson Health, Physical Education and Recreation (HPER) Complex on the UAPB campus. Clear Bag Policy
UAPB/AM&N National Alumni Association FIFTY Under 50 Outstanding Young Alumni Celebration (This event is sold out)· 8:00 p.m. | Pine Bluff Convention Center at 1 Convention Center Drive in Pine Bluff, AR. For more information, call the National Alumni Association at 870-536-2309. A Clear Bag Policy will be in effect.
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