Friday, Oct. 15 is Purple and Gold Day in the state of Washington. It’s the fourth straight year Governor Christine Gregoire (a 1969 and 1971 UW alumna) has officially proclaimed the day before the Huskies’ big Homecoming football game to be Purple and Gold Day in our state.

If this is the kickoff to the University of Washington’s annual Homecoming celebration, what else is on tap? Here’s a quick rundown of the festivities:

• UW Interactive Timeline—Trust me, the UW Alumni Association’s timeline is a neat tool. I showed my wife and she had no idea a few of these people had UW connections. A lot of the information is out there but has never been gathered in one space…until now. Just a few minutes with the timeline and you’ll learn something new. Plus, you can plot yourself in the timeline and join the UW’s history alongside Ann Rule, Dale Chihuly and the NASA spacesuit. I added my favorite story from covering the football team for The Daily.
• Football vs. Oregon State—This is what it’s all about, right Husky fans? Jake Locker and the Dawgs suffered a setback last weekend against Arizona State but will be looking to even their overall record Saturday, Oct. 16 against the Oregon State Beavers. Find everything you need to know about the game on The Seattle Times’ Husky Football Blog. And pick up a “Beaver Unbeliever” button at any University Book Store location.
• Great Parties—There are plenty of events and celebrations happening this weekend, including the Class of 1960 50-year reunion, MAP Breakfast honoring diversity at the UW, and the popular Purple & Gold Luncheon on Sunday, Oct. 17. See the complete schedule here.
• Dawg Dash—Celebrating its 25th anniversary, Dawg Dash is the UW Alumni Association’s 10K run and 5K walk/run through the beautiful UW campus. It’s on every local runner’s itinerary and is one of the only races around that allows dogs on the course. I ran with a pup a few years ago and it was too much fun. Help raise money for student scholarships and take part in the Dawg Dash on Sunday, Oct. 24. Rally your friends (and pups!) and register here.

We hope to see you on campus. Go Huskies!