The University of Wisconsin Homecoming Committee will kick off a nine-day treasure trove of pirate-themed activities today.

Gearing up for the Badger Homecoming football game Oct. 22 versus Purdue, the committee has been working on a new set of Homecoming activities since February, themed "W Marks the Spot."

After voting between a cowboy and pirate theme, Homecoming Committee co-chair Leah Hunter said the group felt the latter would better suit the goals and purposes of the events.

"'W Marks the Spot' [where there] could be treasure. Wisconsin is the treasure, so [alumni will want to] come back to Wisconsin," she said. "The whole theme of Homecoming is [to] come back to your school."

Friday's events will feature a "Dress Like a Pirate" contest, with the top three finalists taking a spot in the Homecoming parade Oct. 21 alongside Bucky Badger — who will also don pirate attire — as his "first mates" and a "Barge Building" contest, when students will ply the waters of Lake Mendota inside duct-taped-cardboard rafts.

Another exciting event Friday will be the EA Sports NCAA Football Video Game Challenge at Library Mall, where the winner will compete with students from 16 other campuses for a chance to win $10,000. Spectators are welcome to feast on free pizza and soda and test their abilities on a complimentary rock-climbing wall.

Other pirate-themed events include the "A Night to Treasure" charity ball Saturday and "Bucky's Race to the Gold" charity run/walk Sunday.

While all the events are sure to draw a crowd, Hunter said the "W Marks the Spot" keynote event will be the Homecoming parade next Friday.

"This year's [committee] is planning [on the parade] being a huge event, much bigger than years past," she said, adding she expects the event to draw nearly 50,000 students and community members. "It's just the most visible, the most fun [event] … for the campus community. Students who participate get pretty into it."

Hunter added the float plans this year look "pretty cool" and the parade will conclude with a fireworks display at Mendota Terrace.

"It's kind of the big shebang — the end of Homecoming before the football game," she said.

Homecoming committee member Meghan Cohen said she also eagerly anticipates the parade and the floats built by various UW fraternities, sororities, student organizations and residence halls.

"The floats are going to be awesome," Cohen said. "It's a good atmosphere to build up for the game."

To encourage more students not necessarily affiliated with a specific student organization to participate during the week, the Homecoming Committee has planned numerous free events, such as a screening of "War of the Worlds" Thursday at the Memorial Union.

"Homecoming kind of has a reputation, and it's sort of true that you have to be affiliated with a group to participate," Hunter said.

Yet Hunter added students from all aspects of campus should come out, whether they want to participate or simply "be there with the Badger spirit."

"It's more or less students being proactive," she said of the events. "They're open to any student."

For more information on upcoming "W Marks the Spot" Homecoming events, visit uwalumni.com/homecoming.