Homecoming is a classic high school event that dates back to the early 20th century. While it began in colleges around the United States, the practice was adopted by high schools in the 1920s and has stuck around ever since. Homecoming hasn’t changed too much since its creation, so many classic homecoming practices are still in use today.
So, what is homecoming in high school? Simply put, it’s an event where students and staff come together to celebrate school spirit. That said, understanding this event in its entirety is important if you plan on attending, and we’re here to help.
Homecoming Explained
Homecoming has been around since the early 1900s and got its start around college campuses across the country. While it remained a college-exclusive event for a decade, it was adopted by high schools quickly, and you’ll find homecoming events at most high schools today.
Homecoming tends to include a handful of events that culminate in a sporting event, pep rally, and dance. While the three main events tend to be consistent across the board, every school may have something different for each day of the week leading up to the pep rally.
It’s also important to note that there is a homecoming court. This is a group of students who are elected by their peers or school staff to represent the student body during this time. Members of the court are referred to as the Homecoming Queen, King, Duke, and Duchess, or Prince and Princess, depending on the school.
Popular Homecoming Events
To understand homecoming, you have to understand all of its events. You’ll need to learn about the homecoming parade, dance, sporting event, spirit week, and pep rally. While it may sound overwhelming, don’t worry, we’ll have you up to speed in just a moment.
Spirit Week
The most consistent part of homecoming for every high school is spirit week. During this week, the school participates in unique events each day to get students involved in school spirit or just to have fun. Some examples of fun days during homecoming spirit week include:
- Team and school colors day
- Pajama day
- Costume day
- Dress up day
- Anything but a backpack day
These are only a few examples, and depending on the school, the types of events available for Spirit Week may change.
Pep Rally
One of the most popular parts of homecoming is the pep rally, which tends to be held on the last day of spirit week. Students in every grade attend this event and watch performances from cheerleaders, the kickline team, the dance team, and other talented students. The pep rally is often loud, exciting, and full of energy leading up to the sporting event.
Homecoming Dance
The homecoming dance is another popular event in high school. While not every school will host a homecoming dance, and there might be grade-level restrictions, we always recommend attending this dance if the opportunity presents itself. In fact, sometimes students do elaborate dance proposals to get other students to go with them as dates.
While it’s not as formal as prom, homecoming dance tends to require some formal attire. Students should wear a homecoming dress (like these) or a suit depending on their gender and preferences.
Sporting Event
Spirit week, the pep rally, and sometimes even the dance are all centered around the sporting event. The sporting event tends to be football, but for schools that don’t have football programs, it may be soccer, hockey, or another team sport. This game is a home game, and all students, as well as various alumni of the school, are welcome to attend.
Parade
While less common than some of the other popular homecoming events, a homecoming parade is also possible. These parades will involve the school’s marching band, along with sports team members and other students who want to participate. The parade may be held after the pep rally or on a different day, depending on the school’s schedule.
Enjoy Homecoming in High School!
Homecoming is a great part of the year for most high school students. You get to have fun with your friends in fun outfits, learn more about your school’s sports teams, and even invite someone to the dance if your school has one. 
Ultimately, it’s a great time, but if you want to make the most out of it, understanding each part of homecoming will help. While we covered most of what you can expect from homecoming in this article, we also recommend checking with your school to learn more about what homecoming will look like at your specific high school.
