The T-shirt and button sales. The homecoming king and queen banners. The window paintings.

Those and more returned to the UW-Eau Claire campus this week as signs that Homecoming is in full swing.

Culminating with the 1 p.m. football game against UW-Stout at Carson Park, various competitions and activities already have marked the week and will continue into the weekend.

The annual parade will begin at 10 a.m. Saturday, starting at Grand Avenue and stretching the length of 1st Avenue.

University Activities Commission Director Amanda Hill said there will be 35 units in this year’s parade, which include cars, floats and three area marching bands, including the Blugold Marching Band.

Senior Suzie Xiong said the American Marketing Association isn’t starting its float, complete with a boxing ring and the blues brothers, until Friday.

She said coming up with an idea relating to this year’s theme of “Battle of the Blues: Burn Baby Burn” was a little difficult.

“We thought it was a creative idea that went along with the Homecoming theme,” Xiong said.

Varsity Night Live, held at 7 p.m. Friday in Zorn Arena, will include host and comedian Horace “H.B.” Sanders, who was the winner of the 2003 Star Search and has shared the stage with notable comedians Sinbad, Chris Rock and Aretha Franklin.

“I think he’s hilarious,” Hill said. “He’s a very entertaining guy.”

The event also will feature the annual student talent show and will feature the crowning of the Homecoming king and queen. Tickets for students are $5 or $2.50 with a Homecoming button.

A total of 21 students representing campus organizations and residence halls ran for Homecoming royalty, including senior David Parker, nominated by Campus Ambassadors.

“It’s been fun to be so involved your last time through,” said Parker, who added the work consumes the vast majority of his week. “I’ve met a lot of fun people, and the other candidates are all really cool.”

This year’s football game brings archrival UW-Stout, but senior linebacker Andrew Jones said despite the Homecoming activities leading up to kickoff, it is still just one more game on the schedule.

“It’s going to be a difficult WIAC game,” he said. “They’ve got some really good athletes, (and) it should be a really hard-fought game.”

The annual pre-game party, “Blugold Fever Fest,” will be held at 11 a.m. before the football game at Carson Park. It includes music by the Eau Claire marching band, as well as food and beverage tents.

Blugold fans can expect good weather for the parade and game. The National Weather Service forecast for Saturday calls for partly sunny skies with a high of 61.

Carrying the week’s “safe and sane Homecoming” theme, Eau Claire Police Chief Jerry Matysik warned at a press conference last week that law enforcement will issue few warnings this weekend.

“We try to be reasonable, but there’s no reason to expect a warning if somebody’s having an out-of- control, loud and obnoxious party,” Matysik said, adding, “We’re not out with the goal to write as many tickets as we can.”