Iowa State Homecoming is 102 years old now, and has had new traditions added and some that have stayed its entire life span. The homecoming traditions at Iowa State consist of Yell Like Hell, food on campus, the Pep Rally, and of course, Lawn Displays. Lawn Displays have been around since 1912, the very first Homecoming at Iowa State, and are still a large part of the competitive Homecoming spirit today.

“This is something that a large group of us are very passionate about. We get to make something amazing, creative and unique that thousands of people come to enjoy on Friday night. We gain leadership experience, make friends with all kinds of people at 2 a.m., and become a lot closer to our members than one could ever think possible,” said Nick Dugan, one of the Lawn Display Chairs for Tau Kappa Epsilon. “This is something that we will remember for the rest of our lives, and it is by far my favorite thing the Greek Community does.”

This year there will be five lawn displays to showcase in the competition between Greek houses. The lawns that will be showcasing their pairing’s displays are Delta Tau Delta, FarmHouse, Phi Delta Theta, Alpha Gamma Rho and Tau Kappa Epsilon. While the Pep Rally festivities start at 5 p.m. and run until 9 p.m. outside the Alumni Center, the ExCYtement in the Streets and lawn display shows will begin at 8 p.m. all on Friday night. The pairings will then perform their 10-minute skits five times throughout the night.

According to the Homecoming Committee rules from 2013, the total cost of material, lighting, and other expenses that the pairings spent on their display was not allowed to exceed $3,100. This year, the price limit seems to have increased a bit, probably due to more elaborate and grand displays. There are also very strict rules the pairings must follow when constructing lawn displays.

“The maximum budget allowed for the displays this year is $3,500, and the earliest date we were allowed to start working was September 6th,” said Austin Fichter, a senior and the President of FarmHouse Fraternity. “Pairings are also required to turn in budget reports periodically with how much they are spending on the project.”

With roughly only one month to construct these elaborate, moving displays and the skits that accompany them, lawn displays are a true testament to the ingenuity and ability of ISU students. It’s no wonder why this tradition has remained all 102 great years of Homecoming here at Iowa State, and with Cy turning 60 this year, the displays are sure dazzle both students and Ames residents alike. Tau Kappa Epsilon and Alpha Gamma Delta won the lawn display competition last year and are hoping to do so again this year for Cy’s birthday.