Hobo Day
South Dakota State University's homecoming celebration since 1912.
Hobo Day is South Dakota State University's homecoming, typically held in October. Its centennial was in 2012. The parade has been canceled only three times: during World War I, in 1942 for World War II, and in 2020 because of COVID-19.
Quick Facts
- First hobo day
- November 2, 1912
- Parade cancellations
- World War I
- 1942 (World War II)
- 2020 (COVID-19)
- Bummobile year
- 1912
- Bummobile donated
- 1938
- Donor
- Frank Weigel of Flandreau, S.D.
Facts from the source article.
Origin of Hobo Day
The tradition now known as Hobo Day began in 1907, when South Dakota State College students held a "Nightshirt Parade" before a home football game against Dakota Wesleyan. Men wore nightshirts and women wore sheets to build excitement. This continued each homecoming until 1911, when the college administration stopped it, calling the women's sheet-wearing undignified and unladylike. Needing a new tradition, student R. Adams Dutcher suggested an idea he had seen at the University of Missouri: dressing as hobos and bums. That school had abandoned the concept, but at South Dakota State it caught on quickly. The first Hobo Day took place on November 2, 1912. Men grew beards for about a month beforehand, while women dressed as Indian maidens. The entire student body then walked to the train station to meet the opposing team. The student newspaper noted that an onlooker could not tell if they were in an 1849 Indian village or a modern railroad depot. The celebration was a huge success and continues today.
Bummobile
The parade is ended by the Grand Pooba riding through on the historic Bummobile with the rest of the Hobo Day Committee. For seven decades, the Bummobile has led the Hobo Day Parade past the Campanile along Medary Avenue. Otherwise, with the exception of a select number of summer parades and SDSU events, the 1912 Ford Model T remains displayed in a large glass encasing in the Hobo Day Gallery, a Hobo Day showcase room in the SDSU University Student Union, built in 2010. The year of the Bummobile (1912) is significant because it marks the celebration of the first Hobo Day. The Bummobile has been the lead entry in every Hobo Day parade since 1938, with the exception of 1942, when Hobo Day and classes were canceled so students could help with the World War II effort. The Bummobile was donated in 1938 by Frank Weigel, a farmer from Flandreau, S.D. The Model T has shepherded homecoming grand poobas, parade grand marshals and U.S. president-elect, Dwight D. Eisenhower. Former Grand Pooba Sara French said a series of problems has arisen in recent years. The Bummobile has started on fire; a tire has fallen off and the brakes have given out. The car had to be pushed through the parade route in 2006. That has prompted French and the Hobo Day Committee to launch an effort to repair and restore the Bummobile. In 2009, the Bummobile was shipped off to California for a whole year to be restored and repaired, and ever since it runs with minimal problems.
Current Hobo Day events
The events throughout the week, named Hobo Week, are facilitated by South Dakota State University's Hobo Day Committee (HDC). One of 17 coordinators selected to be on the HDC is the Grand Pooba. The Grand Pooba is in charge of selecting and maintaining a committee of students to plan, promote, and execute Hobo Week and Hobo Day. Hobo Gear Prep Night: Students are invited to buy donated clothes for cheap prices to turn into their Hobo Gear, or bring their clothes are buy patches, buttons, and accessories to amp up their outfits. One Month Club: Males grow their beards out and females grow out their leg hair the month leading up to Hobo Day. Men's categories include longest, fullest, patchiest and best attempt. Women's categories include longest, softest and roughest. Six Month Club: Males grow their beards out and females grow out their leg hair for SIX months leading up to Hobo Day (April–October). Paint the Town: Various businesses in Brookings volunteer to have their windows painted, each team is assigned a window to paint and a winner is chosen based on creativity, theme, and school spirit. Rally at the Rails: This glorified pep fest takes place in downtown Brookings and features a live band, food, dancing, games, and other entertainment for students and community members to kick off Hobo Week in style. Bum-A-Meal: Students sign up to participate in a meal one evening of the Hobo week. When they arrive for the event, they are given an address and go to eat at a home in the Brookings community. MrMs Homelycoming: This event allows the male population to compete in a beauty pageant dressed as girls and the female population to compete dressed as guys. Talent and interview are some of the judged categories. BumOver: Students are provided with cardboard and duct tape and build a "shanty" resembling a home, iconic buildings, or whatever they imagine! Cavorts Talent Show: The student talent show takes place the Friday night before Hobo Day. Cavorts, which often sells out in advance, is held in the Performing Arts Center (PAC). The acts performing go through an audition process much earlier in the semester and are selected to perform in the show by student leaders. Once chosen, the acts compete for cash prizes at the actual event. Popular faculty and staff are often chosen to judge acts based on various attributes. In 2010, an audience-voted Fan Favorite prize was introduced to accompany the traditional judge-voted first, second, and third place prizes. Hobo Day 5k: The morning of Hobo Day, there is a 5k sponsored by the local running group, Prairie Striders. Bumfire: Traditionally, the Thursday night before the game, but now usually on the Tuesday night, students flock out to the "Backyard" for a large bonfire. The local fire department has a large presence at this event! A concert often occurs before or after the bonfire.
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