Campus and community members will be able to express their Homecoming spirit in this year’s “Real Panthers Decorate Blue” contest.

Participants will be decorating their office, dining hall, or residence hall on campus, while the Charleston community will be decorating their homes.

Homecoming committee member Angela Campbell said this is the first year the Charleston community is invited to participate.

“We are trying to grow a little bit more every year,” Campbell said. “We want to bring Homecoming to the community as well.”

She said decorations should go along with this year’s Homecoming theme, “Bright Lights, Blue City,” with the colors blue and gray.

She said participating in the decoration contest would help promote Homecoming spirit.

“It is great way to show off why we are EIU,” Campbell said.

Campbell said prizes will be rewarded to those with the best decoration.

The overall campus winner will receive a traveling trophy.

Other campus prizes include a pizza party, cookies for the office, a certificate and a recognition picture on the Homecoming website.

First place for the Charleston community will be two tickets to the Homecoming game; second place will receive an Eastern bookstore gift and a recognition picture on the Homecoming website.

Third place winners will receive an EIU goodie bag and a recognition picture on the Homecoming website.

Decorations for residence halls will be judged during the “Yell Like Hell” pep rally on Oct. 24; office and dining hall judging will be during the “Blue-B-Que” faculty and staff picnic on Oct. 22.

Charleston residences will be judged on Oct. 20, which is the Monday of Homecoming Week.

All applicants must sign up on the Homecoming page by 4:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Debby Hernandez can be reached at 581-2812 or dhernandez5@eiu.edu.