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Tailgate food, a football scrimmage, and fellowship time remain key components of Mississippi College’s 2018 Choctaw Fanfare.
Each summer, the lively event on the Clinton campus attracts hundreds of MC parents, students and university friends. The latest edition of Choctaw Fanfare on August 18 promises to be the best ever.
A slew of activities – from photo booths to fun games adds to the excitement that Saturday from 5 p.m. through 8 p.m. Once it quiets down in the parking lot outside Robinson-Hale Stadium, MC Choctaws football players suit up for a scrimmage game on their home turf. The contest is followed by a fireworks show. Things start popping at the stadium around 8:45 p.m.
Hungry fans are encouraged to join food lines a little early and chow down. Choctaw Fanfare tickets cost $10 for adults and $5 for children between the ages of 5-12.
“We are excited for another athletic year to kick off at Choctaw Fanfare,” says Athletic Director Mike Jones. “This event has gotten better each and every year. It’s a great way to get things started.”
MC supporters should see Jones, a July 2018 inductee into the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame, join coaches to make visitors feel welcome. “We cannot wait to meet all of our new Choctaws and Lady Choctaws on August 18th.”
Fans of the Blue & Gold will get a sneak preview of the Choctaws squad that opens the 2018 football season at home against Clark Atlanta University. Kickoff is 7 p.m. Thursday for the season’s first game against the Panthers on August 30. MC returns for a second home contest on September 8 to battle the Southwest Baptist Bearcats. The Choctaws game against the Missouri team begins 6 p.m. that Saturday.
The Mississippi College Alumni Association sponsors Choctaw Fanfare. The event coincides with Move In Day for freshmen into campus residence halls. The busy move of books, computers, clothing, and lamps runs from 8 a.m. until noon. Student volunteers from sports teams, social tribes & clubs and other groups do the heavy lifting. Returning students begin their move at 2 p.m.
For MC students, Choctaw Fanfare signals the start of the university’s 193rd academic year. Plenty of student-athletes from Fall sports teams will be on hand. So will new Mississippi College President Blake Thompson and Choctaws head football coach John Bland, among others.
MC sports personality Tom A. Hawk is booked for photos, cheerleaders will pep up the crowds, and leaders of student groups like SGA President Anthony Jackson will stay visible.
Mississippi College undergraduates will tackle more on their plates during the university’s August 18 Welcome Week. Leaders of the Office of Student Life planned the smorgasbord of activities.
One of the most popular events is Back to the Bricks. The August 20 program opens doors for students to meet Clinton merchants. It runs from 5-7 p.m. that Monday in the city’s historic business district. Students will discover what Main Street Clinton officials offer.
Students will hear live music and enjoy dinner supplied by Campus Dining, the university’s food service provider. Clinton Mayor Phil Fisher stops by each year to greet the MC family and sample delicious ice cream cones a few feet from City Hall.
Following Back to the Bricks, students are invited to wear their Blue & Gold that Monday night and mingle with Dr. Thompson, his wife, Jana, and family at the Phillips House. The event runs from 7-9 p.m.
Meetings at First Baptist Church Clinton at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, a scavenger hunt, food truck fest, and campus worship at Anderson Hall are a few more of the scheduled events. Hot dogs, watermelon, and ice cream will be served Wednesday (August 22) followed by trips to area churches and a party at the Baptist Healthplex. Breakfast on the Clinton campus, informal gatherings with leaders of student organizations and a dance party at Anderson Hall on Thursday night (August 23) wrap up Welcome Week.
For information on Choctaw Fanfare tickets, contact Lori Bobo of the MC Alumni Association at 601-925-3252 or lbobo@mc.edu
Photo: Tom A. Hawk is ready to cheer on the Choctaws at Choctaw Fanfare on August 18
