Evergreen Park Community High School’s Homecoming Fan Fest once again brought students, families and alumni together for an afternoon of celebration ahead of the Mustangs’ varsity football game against Reavis.
The festival, held Friday, Sept. 26, transformed Mayor James Sexton Drive and the school’s baseball field into a lively pre-game party, complete with inflatables, bean bags, yard games, a mobile gaming truck, face painting, food vendors and more.
“Fan Fest was a family-friendly pre-game party on our campus,” said Amy Kazin, Activities Director/Department Chair at EPCHS. “People of all ages spent time along Mayor Sexton Drive and on our baseball field prior to the Varsity Homecoming Football Game. Similar to a college tailgate party, guests were able to enjoy inflatables, bean bags, yard games, a mobile gaming truck, face painting, food vendors and more.”
The event also featured information booths hosted by EPCHS clubs and sports teams, along with local vendors and community partners, giving attendees the chance to connect with both the school and the village.
Kazin said what she values most about Fan Fest is the way it unites current students with alumni and neighbors.
“Homecoming is a special time at EP, especially because so many of our alumni move back into the village to raise their own families,” she said. “Fan Fest has given us a way to engage with the entire community and invite them back to campus to celebrate being part of Mustang Nation. Also, EPCHS is in fact our community high school, so we loved having local vendors and community partners join us for the event as well.”
Students also benefited from the break in their busy schedules, Kazin said.
“Hopefully, Fan Fest was just a great opportunity to let off some steam and have fun before the football game,” she said. “The weather was beautiful and there were so many things to do. So many of our students are so busy with school, work, extracurricular activities, etc., that it’s hard to find the time to just get out and have some fun. Fan Fest, along with all of the other activities we had for our students during Homecoming Week, gave them that opportunity.”
Even though Evergreen Park’s varsity team lost to Reavis 14-0, it did not stop the fun. The event capped off a week of Mustang pride and served as a reminder of the strong bond between the high school and its community.
