The kickoff to Homecoming received an upgrade this year with a day-long celebration on Friday, including games, food trucks, special lighting, and three Spider bands.

“We’ve had Spider Day before, but never at this level,” said committee chair Samantha Tannich.

The tradition started in 2014 as an alumni event held off campus in the spring. Later, Spider Day moved to Homecoming weekend so the entire Spider community — students, alumni, staff, and faculty — could come together to celebrate.

The evening began with the crowd playing lawn games, taking photos with WebstUR, and enjoying food truck fare. Business school Dean Mickey Quiñones served Red Pepper Gouda soup from the campus restaurant Lou’s, and the crowd enjoyed two items created and marketed by students — Absurd Snacks and Twin Tail Brews, a tea-based energy drink.

Campus radio station WDCE broadcast live and awarded raffle prizes. The crowd cheered for members of the football team (who won the Homecoming game the next day) and this year’s inductees into the Athletics Hall of Fame.

Guests gathered on picnic blankets and folding chairs on Millhiser Green, where three faculty, staff, and student bands — Faculty Lounge, Room for Improvement, and Dogpark — performed for a crowd of dancing fans.

“I’ve been catching up with lots of friends, seeing people that I didn't expect to and folks I haven't seen in a while,” said Drew Roever, Class of 1988. “The bands have been great. The venue's amazing. It came together very nicely.”

Special lighting, created by the team known for Garden Glow at Maymont, included colored up lights, logo projections, and a spider snow globe.

The event was planned by a committee of individuals from teams all across campus.

“I was excited to see what the committee’s hard work created,” said student Sydney Boehman, Class of 2025, who helped plan the event. "I think the message is that University of Richmond is a community, and every single person in our campus community matters."

Or in the words of the event T-shirts worn by members of the crowd, “Once a Spider, always a Spider.”