A bonfire accompanied the Homecoming pep rally for many years. In the 1930s, the first pep barbecue, “Hamburgers for Homecoming,” occurred, providing meals for 3,000 students. 

The bonfire moved locations over the years. Some of the locations included: State Field, the ROTC drill field and the Beardshear parking lot. In the 1950s, the pep rally and bonfire moved to Central Campus. 

The bonfire stopped occurring in the 1960s and the pep barbecue stopped in the 1970s. The bonfires occurred sporadically in the 1980s and 1990s.