Fill the Field Homecoming 2021

Saturday, Oct. 2

fill-the-field-2017

Huskie Marching Band and Silverette alumni are invited back to campus on Saturday, Oct. 2, 2021, for the 114th Homecoming at NIU. Even if you have not played your horn, tossed your flag or danced your routine since your last performance at NIU, now is the time to dust off your instrument/flag/dance shoes and help “Fill the Field.”


In an effort to build a strong alumni band and keep us all in touch with the current Huskie Marching Band and Northern Illinois University, the Marching Band Alumni Council—in conjunction with the NIU Alumni Association—formed the NIU Alumni Band affinity group in December 2006. We are building a database of former band members, including instrumentalists, color guard, Silverettes and twirlers, and helping the NIU Alumni Association plan appropriate social events to bring us together on a regular basis.


PERFORMING OPPORTUNITIES: For the 14th year, the Alumni Band and Silverette alumni will perform the entire pregame and halftime show on the field alongside the Huskie Marching Band. The 2021 Homecoming activities will include tailgating, pregame, postgame and halftime, and will feature the following music selections: "NIU Fanfare," "Hail to the Huskies," "Huskie Fight Song," "Alma Mater," "The Star-Spangled Banner," as well as music from the Disco era, including "Stayin’ Alive," "YMCA" and "Disco Inferno."


AFTERGLOW: Band and Silverette alumni and guests are encouraged to attend Afterglow in the tent located outside Altgeld Hall. Tickets are $20 in advance or $25 at the door. Kids who are 12 and younger are free. Tickets will include a pizza buffet, salad, soft drinks, water, beer and wine.


GAME TICKETS: Game tickets for general admission seating in the east grandstand are available at the group rate of $18 each. Band and Silverette alumni are welcome to sit near the band. You’ll need to purchase tickets for yourself and each guest. Tickets can be purchased directly through NIU Athletics, using "Code MBAC2021" or call 815-752-6800. You must have a game ticket to perform on the field. Game tickets must be purchased in advance and will not be for sale at registration.


BAND UNIFORM: Participants are encouraged to wear the “official” long-sleeved cardinal T-shirt or any other NIU-logo apparel with black pants or jeans.

Alumni marching band apparel is available for purchase. Items will be picked up during check-in before the field rehearsal.


SILVERETTE UNIFORM: The black long-sleeved Silverette alumni shirt is available to order in several women's sizes. If you have a concern regarding sizes, please see the size chart on the Silverette Alumni Facebook group page.  Please wear the black long-sleeved Silverette alumni shirt, the black sequined Silverette alumni jacket or the black Silverette racerback top, black pants (yoga, performance leggings or black jeans) and black footwear. Silver poms are needed for the Huskie Fight Song and the halftime routine. If you still have those, please bring them. If you need to purchase silver poms, please contact Cheryl Ringler, the Silverette alumni representative. As soon as the choreographer uploads the halftime routine to YouTube, the link will be posted on the Silverette Alumni Facebook group pages. For those attending but not on Facebook, the link will be emailed to you by Cheryl Ringler.


INSTRUMENTS: Due to the band’s tremendous growth in recent years, virtually every band-owned instrument is used by current members, so we ask that you provide your own instrument. Your local school or music store may be able to assist you. The band can provide flags for Alumni Color Guard.


MUSIC: The pregame music is available in PDF format on the Huskie Marching Band website. Please note that these arrangements might be different from what you played “back then.” The Alumni Band music PDFs will be emailed to you after you register, but can’t be posted online due to copyright laws. Please print the music and bring it with you. And don’t forget your lyre and flip folder, which you may obtain from your local music store or an online supplier.
 

FUNDRAISING: Traditionally, the Marching Band Alumni Council and members of the community have worked tirelessly to help raise money for the marching band in terms of scholarships. As a result of these efforts, and through a great deal of support from NIU, every single member of the group now receives some level of scholarship assistance! Looking forward (together forward), the hard-working men and women of the band need quality instruments to support NIU and to help the band sound its very best.

This year our fundraising focus will be on the current inventory of tenor saxophones, which have been used so much (and in all sorts of weather) that they are getting difficult to repair. We want to be able to provide our students with high-quality instruments so that the marching band will truly be “The Pride of the Midwest.”

Please help us do so by donating today, and by sharing this message with your network of family and friends.

Each Homecoming season, Silverette alumni, parents and friends come together to support the NIU Silverette dance team. In doing so, loyal supporters like yourself not only ensure the ongoing success of the Silverettes but, more importantly, are investing in the future of each dedicated student-dancer. This year’s stellar team is not only a dance powerhouse but academic standouts with majors ranging from business and nursing to education, physical therapy and pre-med.

Silverette Alumni donations provide dancers uniforms, scholarships, school essentials, training and more to ensure success on the field and in the classroom. Donations to the Silverette Alumni Fund are 100% tax-deductible.

Please join us in supporting the Silverettes by selecting the Silverette donation level that is right for you.


SECURITY: Per the NIU Athletics policy, only performing members with wristbands may come onto the football field for rehearsal, pregame and halftime. Wristbands are only for staff and performers. Your guests may watch us from the stands, and children younger than age 18 must be supervised by an adult.


REGISTRATION: Due to the complexity of Saturday’s performing activities, walk-ins cannot be accommodated and advance registration is required. Please register and by 11:59 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 30.


STORAGE: Limited instrument storage space is available along the fence on the south end of the stadium. Performers are encouraged to leave cases and other belongings in their cars or plan other arrangements.


HOMECOMING PARKING: Free parking is available at the Chick Evans Field House if you enter the lot before 11 a.m. The field house is across from the Barsema Alumni and Visitors Center at the corner of Annie Glidden Road and Lucinda Avenue. If you require handicap parking, please indicate that on the registration website or form, so arrangements can be made with NIU Athletics.


SCHEDULE: Please see the schedule below. Although we don’t expect changes, the final schedule will be emailed to registrants and posted on the Alumni Band website a few days before Homecoming.


Friday, Oct. 1

  • Silverette practice, 7-9 p.m. Details TBA

  • Friday,  7-9 p.m. (Optional): Alumni Band may attend rehearsal at the Chessick Practice Center.

Saturday, Oct. 2 

  • 7 a.m.: Band and Silverette alumni sign-in and welcome opens at southeast gate to the stadium.

  • 7:30-9:30 a.m.: Band and Silverette alumni and current HMB combined REHEARSAL at Huskie Stadium. We will run through the music and review the schedule and logistics for the day. To ensure that Saturday’s activities proceed without difficulty, Dr. Bough and the council request that all who are performing any portion of the event attend the rehearsal.

  • 11:30 a.m. (optional): Band and Silverette alumni are dismissed for tailgating and are welcome to visit the alumni tailgating area at The Yard, west of the stadium. Please note that there will not be an Alumni Village at the BAVC. The Yard alumni tailgate will include a "Kids Zone," entertainment and NIU giveaways. Food and beverages can be purchased from various vendors. Cases and/or instruments must be stored off the field since the south end zone is now a party zone. An optional box lunch can be purchased at $12 per person and includes a 4-inch sub sandwich, chips and a cookie. Three different options (turkey and cheese, Italian and vegetarian) will be available for alumni and guests who are interested in staying close to the stadium during the break and a chance to interact more with the current members and alumni! Box lunches will be delivered to the Alumni Tent located in the Yard.

  • 12:30 p.m. (optional): Band and Silverette alumni are invited to perform with the Huskie Marching Band at the Huskie Band preview mini-concert, located north of the Chessick Practice Center, or at The Yard, west of Huskie Stadium.

  • 12:50 a.m.: Pregame call time. The band and Silverette alumni will join the band and will enter Huskie Stadium from the southeast.

  • 1:10 p.m.: The pregame show starts.

  • 1:30 p.m. (optional): Kickoff. Band and Silverette alumni and their guests are welcome to sit in the east grandstand with the band during the game. All band and Silverette alumni and guests must have tickets.

  • Approximately 3 p.m.: Halftime. Silverette alumni perform their halftime routine. Band alumni are invited to join the current band in performing the halftime music, then all alumni will perform the Huskie Fight Song while marching off the field at the end of the show.

  • Approximately 5:30 p.m.: Post-game. Band and Silverette alumni are invited to join the band on the field to perform the pre-selected music.

  • 6 p.m. (optional): Afterglow


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Event Information

NIU's 114th homecoming vs. Eastern Michigan  1:30 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 2, at Huskie Stadium

 

When:

7:00AM - 7:00PM Sat 2 Oct 2021, Central timezone

Where:

Huskie Stadium
1525 W Lincoln Hwy
DeKalb, IL 60115 USA

[ Get Directions ]

Shirts and sweatshirts are no longer available for pre-order, but can be purchased on the day of the event.

Band Short Sleeved Shirt

Band Alumni Soft Black T-Shirt
 

 Band Long Sleeved Shirt

Band Alumni Long-sleeved Black T-Shirt
 

Band Crew Neck Sweatshirt

Band Alumni Crewneck Sweatshirt
 

Band Hoodie

Band Alumni Hooded Sweatshirt
 

Silverettes Alumni Ladies Slim Fit Black T-Shirt

Silverettes Alumni Ladies Slim Fit Black T-Shirt
 

Silverettes Alumni Ladies Long-sleeved Black T-Shirt

Silverettes Alumni Ladies Long-sleeved Black T-Shirt

The NIU Foundation follows the protocols and guidelines established by NIU regarding how to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic, which is based on the recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and local public health organizations. NIU’s protocols and guidelines are located at: www.niu.edu/protecting-the-pack.

Consistent with these protocols and guidelines, and out of an abundance of caution, beginning immediately the NIU Foundation and NIU Alumni Association requires masks for all indoor events (whether on-campus or off-campus) hosted by the NIU Foundation and/or the NIU Alumni Association.

We deeply respect and greatly appreciate our donors, alumni, community and friends. As we move forward – together – the NIU Foundation and NIU Alumni Association are committed to following the above guidance and making every effort to reduce any threat to everyone’s safety, health and well-being.

We hope that you will decide to join us at an upcoming event and we look forward to seeing you.

Hand sanitizer and disposable masks will be available at our events. We encourage you to consider your health and personal well-being when deciding whether to attend.

Be well, and stay safe.