The members of Alpha Phi Alpha are preparing to blast off their annual Black and Gold Weekend.

The celebration begins with a welcoming party for over 100 alumni from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. tonight at Matthew Boone’s Restaurant and Lounge, 122 South First Street.

The weekend festivities continue with the sixth annual Alpha Golden Image Awards ceremony at 7 p.m. Saturday in the Duke Ellington Ballroom of the Holmes Student Center.

More than 20 awards will be given to people and organizations who portray a positive image around campus and the community.

“This is our way of announcing to the campus that we thank these people for their contributions,” said Collin Halliman, vice president of Alpha Phi Alpha.

At the ceremony, the NIU Black Choir will perform, the recently inducted Alpha Phi Alpha members will present a step show and the Present Perfect Modeling Organization will give a presentation.

The ceremony costs $5 per person or $9 per couple.

Following the award ceremony will be a midnight barbecue at the Alpha Phi Alpha house located on Harrison Street.

To close the weekend, there will be a brunch for fraternity members welcoming the new members of Alpha Phi Alpha, who were initiated on April 2.

The members being honored at the brunch are Marcus Lee, Ahmady Bradley, Kevin Fields, D.J. Bradley, Steven Smith, Vernon Roberts and Bernard Kendricks.

Halliman said over 500 people are expected to attend the weekend activities.

“It is a big deal,” Halliman said. “We are expecting the entire campus to participate and support the people and organizations that help the community.”

According to Halliman, the Black and Gold Weekend has been a tradition since 1964, as long as Alpha Phi Alpha has been on campus.

“We were the first black fraternity on campus,” Halliman said.