This year’s homecoming celebrations are back with

a new face, new events and a new name.

The All Campus Homecoming Committee (ACHC)

promises that there will be plenty of events for every-

one at "Dawg Fest ’97: It’s Reigning Dawgs and Cats."

Melissa Gross, ACHC chair, said the emphasis this

year is on combining old traditions with new ideas to

appeal to both alumni and students.

For starters, a big-name national band is expected

to play, but organizers wouldn’t confirm who it was

Monday night.

The past few years attendance has been low for

homecoming events.

In an effort to change the poor turnout, the ACHC

teamed up with the Alumni Association, University

Union and the Athletic Association. They hope to bring

back the excitement surrounding Homecoming in the

1980s.

This is the first time these groups have worked

together planning Homecoming. Gross is excited

about the events these groups have helped put togeth-

er.

One of the major changes students will notice is the

change of the parade route.

Instead of going through campus, the parade will

go through downtown Athens.

Gross said there are several reasons for this deci-

sion. Students were calling for the parade to be can-

celled while alumni wanted the tradition to continue.

ACHC compromised by moving the parade down-

town. Gross cited the large turnout of the Twilight

Criterium and the Athens-Clarke County Christmas

Parade as reasons for moving downtown.

This also gives them an opportunity to involve the

Athens community along with students and alumni.

The grand marshal of the parade will be country

singer John Berry, who got his start in Athens. He will

also sing at the pep rally in College Square following

the parade.

The pep rally will feature the University cheer-

leaders with a specially designed fireworks display.

Minority Services and Programs and Bacchus, the

on-campus drug and alcohol peer education group, are

both planning programs for Homecoming week.

Bacchus will sponsor their "Red Ribbon" week to

promote alcohol and drug awareness. They will have

several events at the Tate Student Center Plaza dur-

ing the week.

Minority Services and Programs is sponsoring sev-

eral musicians and guest lecturers throughout the

week.

On Oct. 20, Homecoming will spotlight University

organizations. Acting, comedy, singing and instrumen-

tal groups will be performing at the Tate Center Plaza

between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Student athletes from the Georgia athletic depart-

ment and club teams have been invited to meet stu-

dents, alumni and fans on Oct. 22 at the Tate Center

Plaza.

The culmination of the week is the Bulldogs’s foot-

ball game with the Kentucky Wildcats on Saturday,

Oct. 26, in Sanford Stadium. Berry will be singing the

national anthem and performing during halftime.

Organizations interested in being involved in Dawg

Fest ’97 are invited to attend an informational meet-

ing Oct. 2 in Tate Center Room 139 at 5 p.m.