Students were able to get free gumbo and pastries at last year’s Gumbo Ya Ya.  Tomorrow’s celebration will include new activities featured around this year’s Homecoming Week theme, such as a Rockwall.
Imari Simmon/The Lion's Roar

Homecoming Week entails a variety of events every year. 

One of the university’s traditions, Gumbo Ya Ya, will be held on Wednesday, Oct. 19 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Student Union War Memorial Park by the Campus Activities Board.

“It is something that happens every year,” said Nick Elliott, CAB Coordinator. “It happens during homecoming and it kind of represents Southern Louisiana culture.”

Students are invited to come out and enjoy the different activities that will be happening and the food that will be served at the event.

“We always have cupcakes with gumbo, lots of drinks and a lot of pizza for whoever is vegetarian or, you know, doesn’t like gumbo,” said Elliott.

There will also be a cake cutting by Miss Southeastern 2016 Alexis LaPlante.

“There’s gumbo, there’s games and activities, just kind of a celebration of southern Louisiana culture and as well as homecoming for its students,” said Elliott. “So, it’s kind of a lot of random activities, but it’s all focused around the homecoming theme.”

Every year there are different activities for students to participate in. This year, students will have a chance to participate in activities that pertain to this year’s Homecoming Week theme, Roomie’s Road Trip. There will also be a station to build a stuffed Roomie the Lion.

“This year will have different things like that and related to Roomie’s Road Trip, which is basically a road trip around America,” said Elliott.

Different stations will feature different activities, all related to different parts of the country. 

“We’ll have a Rockwall and that will be like our Arizona, you know, like the Grand Canyon area,” said Elliott. “Our gumbo will be the New Orleans. Pizza will be like New York.” Everything included in Gumbo Ya Ya is funded by CAB. 

“It’s always gonna have fun activities and free food,” said Elliott. “Student orgs. also come and set up tables and they’re either selling things or giving out things. We have 10 to 15 organizations signed up to do different activities.”