photo by: Nick Krug

Flag twirlers lead the KU marching band during the 2014 University of Kansas homecoming parade on Friday, Sept. 26, 2014, in downtown Lawrence.

The University of Kansas is celebrating Homecoming next week, culminating with the Jayhawks facing Oklahoma State on the football field. Festivities leading up to the game, however, last all week.

Here’s what you need to know.

The game: Kickoff is set for 11 a.m. Oct. 22 at KU’s Memorial Stadium. For complete KU football coverage before, during and after the game, follow kusports.com.

Homecoming theme: “Rock Chalk Super Hawk”

Parade and pep rally: The parade takes place at 6 p.m. Friday on Massachusetts Street, starting at South Park and heading north. The pep rally will follow, at 7 p.m. at the corner of Eighth and Massachusetts streets. The Marching Jayhawks, KU Spirit Squad and mascots will all be there.

Parade grand marshals: Bob Davis, former play-by-play voice of Kansas Jayhawk football and men’s basketball, and Kyle Clemons, former KU track star who earned an Olympic gold medal running the third leg in the semifinal heat of the men’s 4×400-meter relay this year in Rio de Janeiro.

Light it up: An effort dubbed Glow KU will last all week long, starting at noon Sunday. Jayhawk fans across Lawrence and the KU campus are encouraged to put up red and blue lights outside homes and businesses and leave them on all week.

Other events: Here are some of the highlights. Check homecoming.ku.edu for a complete list, including school-specific tailgating parties and such.

• Stuff the Bus — 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday at Adams Alumni Center. Drop off nonperishable food items for Just Food of Douglas County.

• The Awakening of Kings and Queens Homecoming Pageant — 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Sunday in Woodruff Auditorium at the Kansas Union. Presented by Black Student Union. Tickets are $10 at the door or can be purchased in advance online here.

• The Super Search –8 p.m. Sunday at Wescoe Beach. A scavenger hunt-type event across campus. Bring a team, post search pics online with the hashtags #KUHomecoming and #KUSuperSearch.

• Sign Competition –10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday on the Strong Hall lawn. See student groups’ plywood signs interpreting this year’s homecoming theme.

• Homecoming Food Fest and Jayhawk Jingles show — 6 to 9 p.m. Wednesday at Adams Alumni Center. Free food, free entertainment in the form of Jayhawk Jingles skits.

• Lawrence for Literacy Children’s Book Drive — 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday at Adams Alumni Center. Bring books for programs to help ensure children achieve literacy goals outside the classroom.

• Fantastic Flapjacks pancake feed — 9 to 11 p.m. Thursday in the Adams Alumni Center parking lot. Cost is $5 per person.

• NPHC Fall Step Show — 8:30 p.m. Friday at Woodruff Auditorium.

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I’m the Journal-World’s KU and higher ed reporter. See all the newspaper’s KU coverage here. Reach me by email at sshepherd@ljworld.com, by phone at 832-7187, on Twitter @saramarieshep or via Facebook at Facebook.com/SaraShepherdNews.