By KATIE HURST/ Staff Writer

MONTEVALLO — The city of Montevallo is planning for large crowds next weekend during the city’s homecoming celebration. Montevallo Homecoming 2010 is scheduled for Oct. 14-17 and will feature weekend-long entertainment.

Montevallo Chamber of Commerce President Mary Lou Williams said the weekend will highlight the strong relationship between the city and the university.

“We want to put the emphasis on the relationship between the University of Montevallo and the city of Montevallo, this is a great way to do that,” she said. “We have events that will engage students and members of the community.”

The homecoming activities will begin on the university’s Founders Day, Thursday, Oct. 14, with the inauguration of the university’s 15th president, Dr. John Stewart. A luncheon on the campus grounds will follow the inauguration ceremony, Williams said.

Self-guided historical walking tours will begin at the Montevallo Historical Commission Thursday afternoon and will highlight several historic buildings on the university campus and within city neighborhoods.

The university’s annual life raft debate will be at 7 p.m. Thursday night, featuring an audience-judged debate between professors on the benefits of each field of study.

At 9 a.m. Friday Oct. 15 at American Village, Mayor Ben McCrory will host a breakfast honoring hometown heroes. Robert Lightfoot Jr., a Montevallo native who is now the director of NASA’s Marshall’s Space Flight Center in Huntsville, will be the keynote speaker. Others to be honored include Jim Edwards, Augusta Lovelady and Tom Walker.

The Montevallo historical marker will be unveiled at 1 p.m. Friday at the corner of Main Street and Middle Street, Williams said.

Saturday will include a fall farmer’s market, merchant’s sidewalk sale, art gallery tours and live music, Williams said. American Village and the Aldrich Coal Mine Museum will both host open houses and tours.

The Hunter Lawley Band will perform a concert at 6:30 p.m. Saturday night on Main Street, along with live music in several other locations.

The Grand Opening of Montevallo’s new community garden will conclude the weekend on Sunday.

Williams said homecoming weekend is good opportunity for the city to show off some of its best features.

“We want to celebrate Montevallo’s resources and show people it’s a good place to live, work and have a good time,” she said.

For more information on homecoming events, call 665-1519.