[media-credit name=’JEFF SCHORFHEIDE/Herald photo’ align=’alignnone’ width=’648′][/media-credit]Festivities for the 2008 University of Wisconsin Homecoming Week are well underway.

Members of the committee have been working on the event for nearly a year, said co-chair Chris Friederich, which will kick off with the 22nd annual 5k walk/run at 11 a.m. on Sunday, Oct. 21 and will conclude with pregame tailgating Oct. 27 before the football game against Indiana.

The theme of this year's homecoming week, which has been a UW tradition since 1910, is "Where in the World is Bucky Badger?"

Events include a charity ball, 5K walk/run and a concert by Rockapella on Oct. 25 at the Memorial Union Theater, the group behind the theme song to "Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?" the television program that this year's theme is based upon.

New events for this year's celebration, Friederich said, include an air band competition.

UW Homecoming Committee co-chair Emily Fox said homecoming week is a time for students to show their "Badger pride."

"It's something I'm involved in because I really appreciate everybody enjoying the Badger spirit," Fox said. "Wisconsin is a place like no other, and I think Homecoming really makes that apparent."

Fox added the fact that homecoming week falls around the same time as Halloween — which was not intentional — has created some issues in planning the weekly events.

"I'm just really proud of everything the Homecoming Committee has been able to do this year, especially it being the same weekend as Halloween," Fox said. "It's been a lot of extra work, so being in charge of a committee that's been able to overcome a lot of obstacles early on is a really good feeling."

Another popular event, Fox said, is the "Yell Like Hell" event where students rewrite lyrics to a popular song or chant and perform it as loud as they can.

Before the Yell Like Hell event, Fox said members of the UW marching band and spirit squad will march through all the residence hall cafeterias singing Wisconsin songs, including "Varsity" and "If You Want to Be a Badger."

"It's really fun to see all the freshmen get excited about it, who don't really understand that homecoming isn't just a football game and a dance," Fox said.

The events will also raise money for charity, the Dean of Students Crisis Fund, which provides tuition assistance to students who are suffering from temporary financial hardships or crises, and are unable to receive funds through other ways.

The UW Homecoming Committee consists of 55 students, Fredrichs said, who each work specifically on certain events scheduled throughout the week.

UW Dean of Students Lori Berquam said the homecoming week events provide a great opportunity for students to show "the pride that we have in Wisconsin."

"It offers students a great way to get involved in campus," Berquam said. "It's an opportunity for everyone to showcase Madison and show your pride for UW and the Badgers."

A full list of UW Homecoming Week events can be found at .www.uwhomecoming.com