Whether they wore red and black, pajamas or last night’s party clothes, people showed up bright and early to keep Homecoming’s Saturday Kegs and Eggs tradition alive.

The City of DeKalb granted special permission to bars, allowing them to open at 5 a.m. for the annual event in which establishments open early to serve liquor and breakfast.

Bar One, 1000 W. Lincoln Highway, took advantage of the early business hours and offered a buffet of eggs, sausage, ham, biscuits and beer for anybody inclined to stop by.

Junior business major Nick Fratto and junior biology major Dave Nietzold sat at a table with an impressive stack of breakfast staples before them.

“This is the only place to be Homecoming morning,” Fratto said between bites.

The pair showed up without sleep, still weary from the previous night’s party on Greek Row.

There were many Kegs and Eggs patrons who stayed up through the night to make sure they were in attendance Saturday morning.

Shawn Andrews, a junior sociology major, also arrived from Greek Row, where he attended a Homecoming mixer.

“I came because only a few bars are open this early and a lot of people are here,” he said.

Starbusters, 930 Pappas Drive, also had its version of Kegs and Eggs.

Genoa residents Brad Kowitzae and Brad Busch came out for their third Homecoming breakfast in a row to get ready for the NIU football game later in the day.

They like the early beer and enjoy the college atmosphere, they said.

They planned on staying at Starbusters for a while and afterwards heading to Fatty’s Pub and Grille, 1312 W. Lincoln Highway, for more.

Even non-breakfast eating patrons couldn’t avoid the allure of Kegs and Eggs with dozens of other people in the early hours.

Stephen Saye, a junior environmental biology major, was nursing what he described as a well-earned beer.

“I studied all week for midterms,” Saye said. “As soon as I got done studying, I came to Kegs and Eggs.”

Others experienced the mid-October tradition for the first time.

Dominick DeLuca, a senior communication major, went to Kegs and Eggs for the first time in his four years attending NIU.

“I couldn’t have done it without staying up all night,” he said. “I’m not a morning person.”

Regardless, he looked happy with his unusual breakfast.