SD Mines Celebrates Homecoming with Rocker Days Events
 
RAPID CITY, SD (Sept. 17, 2019) — Rocker Days at the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology is set for Sept. 22-28, with a wide range of activities planned for students, alumni and the community.

The week's student and alumni activities start on Sunday, Sept. 22, with the senior–frosh picnic when the "M" banner will be hung on the Skyline Drive dinosaur. Students will also take part in "Paint the Town," adding colorful and fun images to the windows of downtown businesses. The organization that is voted to have the best window design will win a pizza party hosted by the Office of the President.
 
On Friday, Sept. 27, the M Day picnic will take place at Founders Park, followed by the annual climb to the top of M Hill for whitewashing and cleanup of the university's monogram logo. That afternoon, several academic departments will host open houses from 3-5 p.m.
 
Saturday, Sept. 28, is full of fun events, including the annual Pumpkin Chunkin' competition where Mines teams and local high school students pit their ingenuity against one another using homemade pumpkin trebuchets and catapults. The Hardrocker Pinker Run kicks off at 11 a.m. The charity fundraiser is a poker run loop for cars and motorcycles around the Black Hills in support of breast cancer research.
  
The homecoming football game on Saturday, Sept. 28, is the highlight of the week's activities. The festivities start with the Rocker Days Fair at 3 p.m. in O'Harra Stadium, which will include a range of student organizations, activities for kids, a beer tent by Dakota Point Brewing and the band "Flannel" providing entertainment. The community is invited to join the fun that leads up to the kickoff at 6 p.m. when the Hardrockers will take on Dixie State University.

The full Rocker Days schedule
 
Sunday, Sept. 22

• Senior/frosh picnic, 12 p.m. at Dinosaur Park
• Paint the Town, 2 p.m. in Downtown Rapid City

 
Monday, Sept. 23

• Introduction of the homecoming royalty candidates, 7 p.m. at Surbeck Ballroom

 
Tuesday, Sept. 24

• Free Armadillo's ice cream (for Mines students), 4 p.m. at Armadillos.

 
Wednesday, Sept. 25

• Elks Theatre movie night (for Mines students)

 
Thursday, Sept. 26

• Coronation and bonfire, 7 p.m. at King Center Goodell Gym

 
Friday, Sept. 27

• Hardrocker Golf Classic, 9 a.m. at Arrowhead Golf Course (register here)
• M Hill picnic and hill climb, 12 p.m. at Founder's Park
• Hardrocker Soccer vs. Colorado State - Pueblo 1 p.m. Dakota Fields
• Department open houses on campus between 3-5 p.m.
• Ribbon Cutting & Alumni Social, 5 p.m. at the Pearson Alumni & Conference Center
• Hardrocker volleyball vs. New Mexico Highlands – King Center 7 p.m.  

 
Saturday, Sept. 28

• Pumpkin Chunkin' launches at 11 a.m. & 1 p.m. in Memorial Park
• Hardrocker Pinker Run begins at 11 a.m. at the King Center, Mines campus
• Hardrocker volleyball vs. Colorado State - Pueblo – King Center 1 p.m.  
• Rocker Days Fair and Concert, 3 p.m. on C Ramp at O'Harra Stadium
• Alumni Tailgate, 4 p.m. at O'Harra Stadium
• Football game, 6 p.m. at O'Harra Stadium

 
Sunday, Sept. 29

• Hardrocker Soccer vs. Adams State 11 a.m. Sioux Park Stadium
• Unpaint the Town, 2 p.m. in Downtown Rapid City