It’s Homecoming Week at Hutchinson High School, and this year it will reach its climax with the Battle of the Tigers.

The Hutchinson Tigers and the Delano Tigers meet at S.R. Knutson field 7 p.m. Friday night to cap off a week of excitement with the annual Hutchinson High School Homecoming football game.

“They tell me it could be a closer game,” said senior Sydney Schmidt, a homecoming chair from the Student Council. “It won’t be a blowout.”

No matter the result of the football game, the crowd will have plenty more to look forward to. The Homecoming Court will be introduced and recipients of the ISD 423 Foundation will be recognized at half time. The foundation uses money it invests to provide ongoing financial assistance to support innovative and creative classroom programs, projects and activities through Hutchinson Public Schools.

Following the game, the Marching Tigers will take to the field with a lights-out performance. The lights will be shut off on the field and the band will march with glow sticks, performing a version of its first field marching show, “Dante.”

The night will end with a student dance at Hutchinson High School.

HOMECOMING WEEK

Before the action-packed Friday finale, Homecoming Week will kick off Monday morning when the Homecoming Court is revealed in Whalen Gymnasium. The theme of the day is Pajama Day.

Tuesday is Country Day and will feature voting for homecoming royalty – a king, queen, prince and princess. A home boys soccer game against Waconia is at 5 p.m., followed by a volleyball game against Sartell at 7 p.m.

“Our new bean bag tournament is after the Tuesday volleyball game,” Schmidt said. “We are having students team up in teams of two. The final championship game is Friday during our pep fest.”

During the championship match of the bean bag tournament, participants will take on challenges such as tossing while balancing on a ball or while on one leg.

Voting will continue Wednesday, which is College Day, and on Thursday, which is Class Color Day. Seniors will wear black, juniors will wear white, sophomores will wear yellow, freshmen will wear gray and faculty will wear orange. The day will end with a home volleyball game against New Prague at 7 p.m.

Students will dress up in Tiger colors, black and yellow, for Spirit Day on Friday. The day’s first major event is the Homecoming Tiger Parade 1-1:30 p.m. It will start at Hutchinson Middle School and circle around School Road to Hutchinson High School. The community is invited to join the following pep fest 1:30-2:20 p.m. at Whalen Gymnasium, where the Homecoming Court coronation will take place.