Legends of the Mean Green: Homecoming

Homecoming Parade

Students, student organizations, faculty, alumni, and community members showcase UNT spirit and pride by creating floats and marching in the University of North Texas Homecoming Parade which occurs the morning of the Homecoming game each year. The origins of the tradition however had nothing to do with football. Homecoming had been traditionally linked to commencement activities in the Spring since the earliest days of the college, with the annual freshman parade becoming part of the festivities in 1927. It was not until the mid-1930s that Homecoming shifted to the Fall and became part of the football tradition. The freshman parade soon morphed into the Homecoming Parade as upper classmen and alumni began joining the procession. Although the parade route has varied over the years, the parade usually begins on campus and loops around the square of downtown Denton.

5 women with short hair and dresses sit on top of a float with the words Homecoming Queen on the right side. They smile as the float passes a crowd of people on the left in front of a store.

A float that looks like a pumpkin is in the middle of the road. 4 men stand around it in front of a store by the name of King's Flowers.

A white and red float with the words Texas Norm on the front is at the front of the street. Cars and people line up the side of the road, with men in uniform marching down the middle.

Men in band uniform with big hats play their trumpets as they march. Pictures taken from a bottom angle.

Group of 4 women and 2 men sitting and standing on a float made like a sailboat with white feathers on the front.

Angled photo of several people sitting on a colorful float, with the words Mean Green on the side, and white and blue balloons laying on it.

Homecoming Bonfire

The lighting of the University of North Texas homecoming bonfire the night before the homecoming game is a tradition dating back to 1935. Temporarily suspended from 1943-1945 due to the number of men fighting in WWII, the bonfire returned in 1946. In 1960, the responsibility for building the bonfire was handed over to the Talons, UNT’s student spirit organization.

Outline of 6 people in front of a tall bonfire.

A group of people stands in front of a tall bonfire, with multiple cars parked on the grass. Buildings and the highway are seen in the background.

Girl with short hair, in shorts and NTSU sweater, has both arms raised in air as she stands in front of the bonfire.

Outline of two men in hats from shoulders up, standing in front of a bonfire with large slabs of wood sticking out.

Outline of a man and a women with their arms around each other, standing in front of a bonfire.

Stacks of wood are seen layered on top of each other, with the reflection of it in the water. The letters N and T are in front of it, with people standing in front of it with torches.

Homecoming Court

UNT’s first homecoming queen, Nikki Hendrix, was elected in 1946 by the football team. The football team would continue to elect the queen until 1952, when voting was opened up to the student body. Each year, several UNT students are nominated for the honors and the student body votes to select the students that will represent UNT as its homecoming king and queen.