Seawolves' Homecoming Festivities to Kick Off Today, Minus Parade

Wolfstock kicks off today at noon at the Student Activities Center Plaza on the campus of Stony Brook University, but for the first time in recent memory, homecoming festivities will not include a parade.

"It's been hard to get that going," said Jeff Barnett, assistant dean of students. "There's been elements of the parade that were successful, and parts that weren't successful. The part that doesn't work well is the actual parading part down the street...we're sort of rearranging the format."

Barnett said the highlight of the university's annual parade was always the student performances, which have been preserved in the form of a Friday night showcase that will be hosted by Streeter Seidell, comedian and editor of collegehumor.com. Following the showcase, popular Long Island party band The Gyst will perform.

A three-hour party is set for the SAC Plaza today starting at noon, where students can meet the homecoming court, take part in carnival-style fun and see a live band along with the school's marching band, cheerleaders and dance team.

A new addition to the homecoming lineup is the Apple Market, which Barnett described as a fall counterpart to the university's popular springtime Strawberry Festival.

Another new addition is The Collaboration, which will bring together ten different student organizations for a diverse evening of activities on Thursday. Additionally, the SAC will be transformed into a movie theater playing "The Longest Yard" to get students ready for football action on Saturday.

"I think the fact that there's that many student organizations coming together to put this on, I think that's really symbolic of how student life is becoming much more vibrant over the past couple of years," Barnett said. "The cooperation among faculty and students and amongst students themselves is really peaking."

Saturday's lineup will feature a huge tailgate party on the athletic field west of LaValle Stadium before the game starts at 3:30 p.m. The Seawolves, with a record of 1-3, take on their first conference opponent in Virginia Military Institute.

Wolfstock is open to the public, with many free events in the lineup. For a full listing of events and how to register, visit the university's homecoming website.