It’s officially Homecoming at the University of Pittsburgh, and there is no better time to reflect on the best parts of Pitt. From game days in the Panther Pitt to lounging on the Soldiers and Sailors lawn, there are a lot of reasons we bleed blue and gold.

Pitt’s traditions and special events are a hallmark of a great college experience, but this connection to the University doesn’t have to end after students graduate. The Pitt Alumni Network offers many more annual trips and events to keep the Pitt spirit alive long after graduation.

This year, Pitt’s Rainbow Alliance's third annual drag show is just one of a slate of activities collectively known as Pitt PRIDE. The drag show was hosted by Point Park University Student Alexa Chapman Killer and featured performances from several Pittsburgh-based drag queens and kings, including some students like Chapman Killer. Events will run throughout April and include performance events like the drag show and upcoming fashion show in addition to formal discussions and an LGBTQ+ networking event on April 10.

Pitt’s campus is home to many LGBTQ+ organizations — Rainbow Alliance, oSTEM and the Gender and Sexuality LLC, to name a few. But until this year, none of those organizations came together for a large-scale project celebrating Pitt’s LGBTQ+ community as a whole.

Whether it’s a small flame flickering in a lantern held by a first-year student at lantern night or a roaring bonfire lighting up the Cathedral Lawn, both these traditions are cornerstones of the Pitt experience. Last night’s annual bonfire and pep rally, sponsored by Pitt Program Council, is one of those traditions — one which Pitt students await to kick off the year ahead.