Sioux Falls, South Dakota — Augustana is excited to announce that it will be celebrating the best week of the year — Viking Days 2021 — on Sunday, Oct. 3, through Sunday, Oct. 10. During Augustana’s version of homecoming, current and past Vikings come together for a week of festivities to celebrate all things blue and gold.
“With all that has happened over the past 18 months, alumni are excited to return to campus. This year, we will continue to incorporate our legacy events into Vikings Days and you will find that we are hosting some new events downtown. We are also excited to welcome back the newly resurrected Augustana Marching Band in our parade,” said Senior Director of Alumni Engagement Joel Gackle.
Viking Days 2021 festivities will kick off the evening of Sunday, Oct. 3, with a host of student, alumni and friends events taking place all week.
“Viking Days is always one of the most exciting weeks on Augustana’s campus. The students love seeing the alumni come back and the alumni enjoy seeing how the campus has changed. Last year’s celebrations were reimagined, however, they taught us some new ways to connect that have again become a part of the Viking Days experience,” said Jennifer Meiners, director of event services.
“‘Viking Days Postcards’ and ‘Guest Pass to an AU Class’ were created as a result of the pandemic to allow alumni to get a taste of college life again. They were so popular, we brought those aspects back this year. Many students and alumni are eager to see the return of the Viking Days Parade and football game as well, which will once again feature Augustana’s very own Viking Marching Band! The School of Music will help end the weekend right by offering music from both The Augustana Choir and Orchestra during a special Viking Days Worship at the Chapel of Reconciliation on campus. We can’t wait to see all of our planning take shape over this incredible weekend!”
Homecoming at Augustana is one of the university’s longest-standing traditions, with the first celebration dating back to Oct. 24, 1924 — six years after Augustana College in Canton, South Dakota, moved to Sioux Falls, and two years after the name, Vikings, was adopted and the colors, blue and gold, were chosen. At the time, Rev. Dr. Charles Orin Solberg was president. Augustana’s homecoming officially became known as “Viking Days” in 1929.
