“NIU Huskies: Lead Dogs of the MAC” is the theme of this year’s Homecoming events, set to kick off Oct. 10.

But first, there is a mandatory informational meeting at 6 p.m. tonight for highly competitive groups and at 7 p.m. for competitive groups interested in participating in these events.

Highly competitive groups are usually composed of Greek organizations or any other organization that wants to focus more on the competitive aspect, while competitive groups participate more for fun, said Becky Kampe, CAB’s Homecoming executive.

If students want to run for royalty, interviews are from 4 to 8 p.m. Sept. 27 in the Holmes Student Center. Candidates must be a full-time sophomore, junior, senior or graduate student with a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.5.

To run for royalty, the student’s organization must nominate him or her, Kampe said. An organization can be a group the student belongs to or even his or her residence hall floor. After nomination, students then fill out an application and sign up for interviews.

“Interviews are judged by faculty members and professors that volunteer,” Kampe said. They are about 30 minutes long, and the court, made of five females and five males, is based on these answers.

Royalty will be announced at the talent show Oct. 10. Anyone wanting to participate in the talent show must first audition between 5 and 8 p.m. Sept. 30 in the Diversions Show Lounge.

“We are expecting around 30 people to try out,” Kampe said. “We will narrow it down to about 15 for the show.”

Judges for this event are also volunteer faculty members and professors.

Homecoming events

Mandatory informational Meeting: 6 p.m. today for highly competitive, 7 p.m. for competitive, CAB Office (Campus Life 160)

Talent show tryouts: 5 to 8 p.m., Sept. 30, Diversions Lounge

Royalty voting: 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Oct. 4 to 6, DuSable, HSC Bus Turnaround

Recyclable Boat Races: noon, Oct. 10, East Lagoon

Talent show: 8 p.m., Oct. 10, Duke Ellington Ballroom in HSC

Volleyball tournament: 5 p.m., Oct. 12, OCR

Yell-Like-Hell: 8 p.m., Oct. 14, Convocation Center

Homecoming parade: 5 p.m., Oct. 15, begins on Lucinda Avenue

Homecoming Game: 3:05 p.m., Oct. 16, Huskie Stadium vs. Central Michigan