The roaring fire blazed stories high as it sent waves of heat into the crowd, flushing the faces of surrounding students. The rousing sounds of blaring trumpets and beating drums filled the air. Students circled the massive wooden structure stuffed with mannequins, wooden signs of rival football teams, and anything else that would ignite in a blaze visible from miles away. Firemen stood by as the flames surged in height and intensity, hosing down nearby trees to prevent the surrounding woods from catching fire.

In the 1980s, this towering bonfire was the centerpiece of North Allegheny’s Homecoming: an event that blended spectacle, tradition, and school spirit into a single unforgettable night.

Fast forward to 2025, and the heat of the flames has since faded. While the spirit of the event remains, the traditions that once defined Homecoming have evolved.

Instead of bonfires and elaborate parades, today’s students focus more on creative proposals, group photos, and dinner plans. Although NASH’s Homecoming weekend, which begins with today’s parade at 5:30 p.m., has always been a highlight of the year, the way it is celebrated has shifted considerably with each generation.

While the current Homecoming weekend consists of a Friday afternoon parade. Friday evening football game, and a Saturday evening dance, decades ago the bonfire was the main event on Friday evening, with the parade, the football game, and the dance taking place on Saturday.

Back in the ‘80s, North Allegheny’s Homecoming was a full-scale event, a weekend of excitement that united the entire school body. Central to this celebration was the Friday night bonfire, a towering structure fueled by any wooden scraps deemed expendable. According to the NASH yearbook from 1986, students gathered around the inferno as firemen tossed flares inside, sparks flying dramatically. 

“It was not a little structure–we’re talking three, maybe four stories high. I remember wondering if it was actually safe,” explained Music Department Chairman Bob Tozier, who graduated NA in 1988. “As a high school student, it was kind of wild being legally allowed to see something just catch on fire and incinerate right on school grounds.”

Retired North Allegheny Music Department Chair and Director of Bands Frank Farina, who was involved in homecomings during the 1980s, described the bonfires as the centerpiece of the weekend that was attended by the vast majority of students.

“Homecoming in years past were just as magical and celebrated as the Senior Prom, if not more so,” Farina said. “The whole student body was involved with the weekend.”

Alongside the fire, floats were a major attraction. Each grade and club participated, building elaborate structures of wood, chicken wire, and tissue paper. Farina described these floats as surprisingly large, “providing an opportunity for peers to enjoy social time whilst creating a beautiful hand-crafted themed float for the parade prior to the football game.”

While the parades in the 80s occurred on the track around the football field, as opposed to today’s parades that take place in the paved drive in front of the NASH entrance, Farina is keen to note a more important difference between the Homecoming celebrations of today and the ones of old.

“My perspective is coming from a time before cell phones, the internet, or social media really took hold of the world,” he said. “Spending time at social events outdoors, building floats in barns, and  attending the football games and school dances were extremely popular events that most looked forward to.”

By the 1990s, most dramatic elements of homecoming had faded. The bonfires had ended in the late ‘80s due to safety concerns, and the parades had become significantly less prominent.

Chris Omasits, NA Science Department Chair and NA graduate of 1999, recalled, “Everything was much more toned down… no fancy proposals, parades, limos or tuxes. Even the football games were more focused on celebrating returning alumni.”

Despite scaling back, school spirit still remained present through football games and the dance itself. Omasits added that alumni often returned to play against current students during the annual fall game.

By the 2000s and early 2010s, pep rallies had replaced lively bonfires, and many students’ attention turned toward inventive proposals and capturing the perfect photos for social media. 

Tozier recalled that, for a brief couple of years during this time, parade floats were retired completely, and students were instead encouraged to walk around the track carrying banners representing their groups, keeping some of the spirit alive without the complexity of cars or large floats.

Today, a combination of traditional and modern celebrations exists. Floats, while less elaborate, are still the heart of the parade, allowing students to celebrate a wide variety of clubs while showing school pride. The spirit of Homecoming has persisted, even if the ways students engage with it have evolved. 

“It’s the first milestone of the year,” Student Council President Dean Cammarata said. “At the parade, the game, and the dance, no one is worried if anyone judges them. No one is worried about being cool, and everyone just comes together.”

While today’s celebrations may be more polished and social media-driven, the weekend still offers students and alumni the chance to celebrate their shared North Allegheny experience. 

“Homecoming is a moment in time that goes by so quickly,” Farina said, “yet will forever be cherished in the lives of many that were so fortunate to experience the pride of North Allegheny.”