University of the Pacific is preparing for a Homecoming unlike any other in its history.
From October 9 through 11, alumni, students, families and friends will gather on Pacific's Stockton campus for Homecoming and Family Weekend 2026, a three-day celebration that takes on special significance this year as the university marks its 175th anniversary.
Founded in 1851, Pacific is celebrating its anniversary throughout 2026, but Homecoming will serve as one of the milestone year's signature gatherings. The weekend will mix familiar Pacific traditions with special anniversary programming designed to celebrate the university's past while looking toward its future.
The festivities begin Friday with the Tiger Tasting Craft Beer Fest, featuring California beers selected by Pacific's resident beer enthusiasts. Friday evening brings the 27th annual Orange & Black Ball, a masquerade-themed dinner and dance that serves as a major fundraiser supporting Pacific student-athletes. Students and families will also be able to enjoy an outdoor movie night under the stars.
Saturday promises to be the centerpiece of the anniversary weekend. One particularly fitting addition is the first live-audience recording of Pacific Conversations, where Head of Special Collections Mike Wurtz and Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations Scott Biedermann will take guests on an interactive journey through 175 years of Pacific history. Vintage photographs, lesser-known stories and important moments from the university's past will help bring that history to life.
Another Homecoming favorite receives an anniversary makeover with Taste of Pacific: The 175th Celebration on Knoles Lawn. Alumni winemakers will pour their wines alongside gourmet food, while the Alumni Band and Alumni Spirit Squad provide entertainment. Organizers also plan a special 175-photo moment commemorating the milestone.
Music will have an especially appropriate place in the celebration Saturday night. Chris and Dan Brubeck, sons of legendary jazz musician and Pacific alumnus Dave Brubeck '42, will perform during Pacific After Dark. Their appearance connects one of the university's most recognizable musical legacies with the celebration of its 175-year history.
Throughout Saturday, visitors can also attend athletic events and reunions involving numerous Pacific organizations and programs. Prospective students and their families will have another reason to visit campus that day, with Pacific holding its Fall Open House in conjunction with the Homecoming weekend.
The celebration concludes Sunday with the Faculty Mentor Awards brunch, recognizing professors for their impact on students' academic and professional development. Pacific will then host a 49ers game-day viewing party as the San Francisco 49ers face the Seattle Seahawks.
For Stockton, Pacific's anniversary represents considerably more than a campus birthday. The university has been part of the city's educational and cultural landscape for generations, and the Stockton campus has become home to traditions, performances, athletic events and community gatherings familiar well beyond the university itself.
That connection makes this year's Homecoming a chance not only for Tigers to return to campus, but also to recognize a milestone in the history of one of Stockton's major institutions.
Event Details
What: University of the Pacific Homecoming & Family Weekend 2026
When: Friday, October 9 through Sunday, October 11, 2026
Where: University of the Pacific, Stockton Campus, 3601 Pacific Avenue
Celebrating: Pacific's 175th anniversary
Highlights: Tiger Tasting Craft Beer Fest, Orange & Black Ball, reunions, Pacific Conversations, Taste of Pacific: The 175th Celebration, Brubeck Brothers concert, athletics, Faculty Mentor Awards and 49ers viewing party
Registration: Registration is open, and Pacific recommends reserving spots early for signature events.
Homecoming & Family Weekend schedule and registration
Homecoming has always been about returning to Pacific. In 2026, it is also about looking back across 175 years, celebrating the people and traditions that helped shape the university, and beginning the next chapter of Pacific's story in Stockton.